THE SEV H-DAY

ADVEN CHURCH ON

97

MANOUG H. NAZIRIAN

THE SEVENTH-DAY

ADVENTIST CHURCH IN LEBANON

1897 - 1997

By MANOUG H. NAZIRIAN

Published by

The East Mediterranean Field of

Seventh-day Adventists

1999 Beirut, Lebanon

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to all the national and expatriate employees and laity, who compelled by the love of Christ, devoted themselves to the proclamation of the Advent Message in the ancient Biblical rand of Lebanon in order ' to make ready a people for the Lord'.

T rTI T" T

Page

Foreword 6

Preface 7

Lebanon in the Bible 9

Early Developments 11

Abraham La Rue's Initial Contact with Lebanon 11

H. P. Holser's Visit 11

L. R. Conradi's Survey of the Middle East Including Lebanon 11

Elias Zarub: Pioneer Preacher and Colporteur Won by a Lay Member 12

Early Sabbath Keepers 12

1908 - A Memorable Date 12

George Keough - Pioneer Missionary to Egypt 12

Walter Ising - Pioneer Missionary to Lebanon 13

Baptism of Ibrahim El Khalil, Shukry Nowfel and Bashir Hasso 13

The First Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon 13

Henry Erzberger's Arrival 14

Far-reaching Effects of World War I 14

Resumption of Work in Mission Fields 14

Walter Ising Revisits Lebanon 14

Later Developments 15

Nils Zerne Reorganizes the Church 15

Persecution - A Blessing in Disguise 15

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon After World War I 16

Change of Leadership 16

Seventh-day Adventist Pioneers 16

Pastor Shukry Nowfel: The First Lebanese Ordained Minister 16

Pastor Ibrahim El-Khalil 18

Hamad Elias Obeid 18

Lebanon's Place in the Organizational Structures of the Seventh-day

Adventist Church 19

Seventh-day Adventist Churches and Institutions in Lebanon 20

Aramoun Adventist School 21

Aramoun Seventh-day Adventist Church 22

Armenian Adventist School 25

Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church 26

Ashrafieh Seventh-day Adventist Church 30

Beirut Adventist Church School 33

Bishmezzine Adventist School 35

Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church 36

Boucherieh Adventist Secondary School 39

Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church 40

College Park Church 42

Middle East College 45

Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School 47

Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church 48

Middle East Press 51

Voice of Prophecy (Bible Coresspondance School) 53

Physiotherapy Clinic 54

Additional Developments Aimed At Expanding the Mission

Outreach of the Church 55

Seventh-day Adventist Youth in Lebanon 57

The Sixteen Year Long Lebanese War (1975 - 1991) 58

Centennial Celebration of the SDA Church in Lebanon 59

Our Divine Mission and Commission 68

Presidents of the East Mediterranean Field in Chronological

Order (1909-1997) 69

Secretary - Treasurers of the East Mediterranean Field

in Chronological order (1909-1997) 73

Memories 74

Key to Abbreviations 79

Directory of Employees 80

References 96

F OREWORD

Elder Manoug Nazirian, an active Seventh-day Adventist retiree, and former church administrator and college president, in the Middle East, has rendered a commendable service to the SDA Church in Lebanon in the preparation of a valuable resource material that deals with the historical development of the SDA Church over the past century (1897-1997) in the Republic of Lebanon. Much of this data was unknown and unpublished, to this day.

It is fitting that the only Lebanese with such a wide and vast experience should have undertaken this valuable task. The love of people and the positive contribution they made to the building up of the SDA Church and its institutions is clearly evidenced in this book.

Elder Nazirian's work will hopefully inspire other nationals to take over where he left off and build on the foundation that has been diligently laid. Many more questions will have to be addressed in order to further enrich our understanding of the history of the SDA Church in Lebanon.

A vital point needs here to occupy our attention, which is the drastic depletion of church membership in Lebanon. This disturbing phenomenon is attributed to a number of factors, one of which is the protracted Lebanese war (1975-1991) that has caused mass emigration, mostly to the USA. As a result, the overall outreach program of the church has been hampered and it has contributed to a lack of sustained growth. In the light of this fact, it is incumbent upon us to face this very real problem with the determination to find a solution to it.

We can take courage from the phenomenal growth of the SDA church in other countries where God's people have been faced with insuperable difficulties, but the Holy Spirit through the ministry of dedicated workers and laity has accomplished amazing things by bringing thousands of lost sheep into the safe fold of Christ. Surely what the Spirit of God has done elsewhere, He can also do for His church in Lebanon, provided we surrender all to Him, fully cooperate with Him, and equipped with His transforming power we rise to the challenge of fulfilling our divine mission and commission.

It is the solemn responsibility of other national historians to dig deeper and to help the SDA Church in Lebanon to fully understand its past so that its future can be what God intends it to be.

Claude Lombart, D.Min. East Mediterranean Field President

Beirut, November 10, 1998

The story of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon (1897-1997) cannot be fully related in this concise book. Hence, I opted to present in the ensuing pages a concise summary of the origin and growth of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in this ancient Biblical land. I would also like to point out that in this book I have tried to record the essential facts of the history of the SDA church in Lebanon without duly dwelling upon the philosophy of mission adopted and followed by our church leaders and administrators who with God's help established the church and operated it. Besides, I have not identified the various factors that have impeded the progress of the work. I intend to objectively deal with this timely issue in a separate article.

In the research process I am indebted to the following sources for substantial help: Dr. Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer's valuable book entitled The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks, East Mediterranean Field Service Records, Middle East Union and East Mediterranean Field Committee Minutes, Middle East College Pine Echoes, Mildred Olson's Middle East Program presented at Middle East Fellowship in the USA (April 4-7, 1997), The Middle East Messenger (official organ of the Middle East Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists, 1945-1970 issues), Impact (official organ of the Afro-Mideast Division of Seventh-day Adventists, 1971-1977 issues), and personal interviews with SDA employees and sustentees residing in Lebanon, as well as my own service in the church for over forty three years, that have provided information that is not available elsewhere.

I am also thankful to Claude Lombart, President of the East Mediterranean Field, Raja Farah, Head of the Religion Department at Middle East College, Nabil Mansour, Editor of the Middle East Press, for reading the manuscript and offering constructive comments, and Jimmy Choufani, Director of Youth Ministries Department of the Middle East Union and the East Mediterranean Field, for the clerical work.

It is hoped that these pages will achieve a twofold objective: To refresh our minds on God's marvelous leadership in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon encouraging us to face the future with absolute confidence in the ultimate triumph of His truth.

To lead us into an experience of wholehearted dedication and commitment to God that will compel us to do our honest part in fulfilling Christ's commission (Mathew 28:18-20) in this generation.

Manoug H. Nazirian

Cedar of Lebanon: symbol of spiritual growth, strength, and fortitude (Psalm 92:12)

LEBANON IN

THE BIBLE

Lebanon, a republic in the Middle East, is situated on the Eastern Shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Its area is 10,452 sq. km. It is bounded by Syria on the north and east and by Israel on the south. Its population, composed of Christians and Muslims, is estimated at 4.5 million including the non-Lebanese residents. It is a member of the United Nations and the Arab League.

Lebanon is mentioned sixty-eight times in the Old Testament, and the name Phoenicia (ancient name of Lebanon) occurs three times only in the New Testament. The inspired writers of the Old Testament books refer to Lebanon for its natural beauty (Isaiah 35:1,2), for its snow and streams (Jeremiah 18:14), for its wild beasts, such as lions and leopards (2 Kings 14:9; Songs of Solomon 4:8), and for its majestic cedars and other trees - the fir, the pine, and the box (Songs of Solomon 5:15; Amos 2:9; Psalms 104:16; 2 Kings 19:23; Isaiah 60:13). We learn from 1 Kings 5:5-10 that King Solomon used timber of cedar from Lebanon to beautify the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem.

Lebanon is noted for its important historic sites, such as the rock inscriptions at the Dog River (Naher El-Kalb), Byblos (Biblical Gebel), Baalbeck, Tyre, Sidon, and Zarephath, etc.

Two inspired gospel writers, St. Matthew and St. Mark mention that during His Galilean ministry (A.D. 29-30), Christ visited the region of Tyre and Sidon, where He rewarded the faith of a Syro-phoenician woman by healing her devil-possessed daughter (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30).

Furthermore, St. Luke tells us in Acts 21:3-6 that there was a Christian church in Tyre in the apostolic period. On his way to Jerusalem, the apostle Paul visited this church during his third missionary journey (A.D. 53-58).

There is ample evidence in the New Testament that the Christian churches that were established by Christ's apostles believed in and preached the truth of the second coming of Jesus and kept the seventh-day Sabbath as God's. holy day of rest (John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 22:20; Luke 23:54-56; Acts 13:42-44, 16:13, 17:2, 18:1-4). We do not know exactly how long the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tyre continued to shed its God-given light in Lebanon. But one who is acquainted with the colorful history of Lebanon knows that there has always been a strong Christian presence in this fair land from the apostolic period to the present time.

Today, we believe that in divine providence when the right time arrived God motivated His dedicated servants to bring the Advent Message to the Middle East. Thus, it was a century ago that the light of present truths specifically for these last days began shining brightly in Lebanon.

Advent Message. In harmony with this plan, L. R. Conradi, a German-American, then president of the European Seventh-day Adventist Mission, made a tour of the Middle East in 1901 to see how the mission outreach of the church can be best served in this important geographical area. During his tour he passed through Beirut where he met with Dr. Daniel Bliss, President of the Protestant College of Syria, precursor of the American University of Beirut (AUB). Elder Conradi was shown the institution where he had the opportunity to obtain firsthand information on the American Mission from the American Missionaries who were serving at the faculty. He also visited the press of the American Tract Association where literature and Bibles were being printed in Arabic. His survey of the Middle Eastern countries in general and of Lebanon in particular led him to the conclusion that Seventh-day Adventists should also establish their headquarters for the Middle East in Beirut3. His farsightedness was vindicated after 1939 when American expatriate workers took over the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle East. For some thirty years the headquarters for the Middle East Division and the Afro-Mideast Division and the Middle East Union were located in Beirut, capital city of the Republic of Lebanon.

L.R. Conradi, Director of the

European Seventh- day Adventist

Mission

11

The seventh-Day Adventist Church In Lebanon

EARLY DEVELOPMENTS

Abraham La Rue's Initial Contact with Lebanon

R esponding to Christ's global commission to carry the Good News of salvation "to every nation, and kindred, and tongue

and people" (Revelation 14:6), Abraham La Rue, an American self-supporting pioneer lay-missionary to China, paid a short visit to Beirut in 1897 and left some truth-filled literature here with the purpose of acquainting the Lebanese with the "present truth" (2 Peter 1:12) 1 . Only in eternity will we know the ultimate result of this act of sowing seeds of truth through the powerful agency of the printed page.

Abraham La Rue, self-supporting lay missionary to China

H. P. Holser's Visit

Following this germinal development, H. P. Holser of the Central European Conference visited Lebanon in 1898 with a view to making plans for publishing books and tracts in the Arabic language. 2

L. R. Conradi's Survey of the Middle East Including Lebanon

Then the European Seventh-day Adventist Mission with its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, felt the sacred urge to enter the Middle East including Lebanon with the

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Elias Zarub: Pioneer Preacher and Colporteur Won by a Lay Member In recounting the origin and progress of

the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon, special recognition is to be given to those committed lay persons who were effectively used by the Holy Spirit in bringing God's last warning and saving message to Lebanon - land of the world famous cedar trees. One of those faithful lay persons was a Lebanese (name not available) who while residing in the United States of America had accepted the advent message. In 1902, he visited his parents in Lebanon bringing a copy of the book Bible Readings. With the help of this good book, he succeeded in convincing the Protestant minister named Zarub in his town in southern Lebanon of the Sabbath truth. Not knowing that there were Seventh-day Adventists in the Middle East, Zarub visited Berrien Springs (Michigan, U.S.A.) where he spent six months with our church leaders who taught him the message more fully. 4

With a burden for the Master's service heavily resting upon his heart he returned to Lebanon in 1903 as a worker to share his God-given faith with his fellow nationals. Upon his arrival he made contact with John Harry Krum, the German-American colporteur -itinerant - preacher - missionary who served in Palestine at that times. Krum came to Lebanon and teamed up with Zarub and together they toured the villages in southern Lebanon as literature evangelists placing Adventist publications in the homes of people. Soon it became apparent that Zarub was determined to follow an independent course. He printed his own literature on the Seventh-day Adventist church and its message and baptized a few followers with the aim of establishing an indigenous Middle Eastern church according to local culture and customs. His independence was interrupted by the arrival of Walter K. Ising from Germany, whose idea of church organization and unity was incompatible with Zarub's concept of developing the work. As a result Zarub bid farewell to his town Alma El-Shaab and immigrated with his family to Brazil where he continued to be a loyal active church member. 6

Early Sabbath Keepers

During the years 1903-1908, before we had any organized work in Lebanon, Sabbath keepers were reported in Malaka near Beirut, and in Deir Demas near mount Hermon, possibly converts of Elias Zarub; also in Beirut a German masseur named Haussman and his wife, a nurse from Basel sanitarium, who were engaged in private health work. Haussman was a convert of John Harry Krum in Jaffa, Palestine. When in 1905 W. H. Wakeman, superintendent of the Egyptian Mission (son-in-law of Conradi), visited Lebanon, he baptized a woman named Anistas Khoury, a teacher from Schwayfat, who had vacationed in New York five years earlier and had learned of the Sabbath truth. He also baptized a former Catholic priest in the village of Magdouchy near Sidon. 7

1908 - A Memorable Date The year 1908 is a very significant date in

the colorful history of the Seventh-day Adventist church in the Middle East. In this year two spirit-filled missionaries, George Keough from Ireland and Walter R. Ising from Germany arrived in Egypt and Lebanon respectively.

George Keough - Pioneer Missionary to Egypt

As a result of living and working among the fallahin (farmers) of the Nile in Upper Egypt in 1912 Keough's self-sacrificing ministry, blessed by Heaven, was richly rewarded when 24 fellahin - 17 men and 7 women from Ben Adi were baptized thus forming the first Arabic speaking Seventh-day Adventist church in Egypt. These upper Egyptian Christian farmers had with the help of the Holy Spirit discovered the Bible truth of the Sabbath and had faithfully been keeping it for some years prior to the arrival of Keough. This Phenomenal success in evangelism paved the way for the rapid growth of the Seventh-day Adventism throughout Egypt.

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Walter Ising - Pioneer Missionary to Lebanon

As regards Ising, he was of German-American background who while living in the United States as an emigrant had joined the Seventh-day Adventist church there. Upon his return to his native land Germany, Conradi chose him as his personal secretary and associate. After he worked with Conradi for a while and became acquainted with the denomination and its mode of operations in Europe, he was sent by Conradi to Lebanon in order to stress the indispensability of evangelism in building up the Lord's cause. Thus, a mission center under Ising's direction was established in Beirut. 8

In 1909 Ising was appointed as head of the Syrian-Egyptian Mission that consisted of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Arabia and Egyptian Sudan with its headquarters in Beirut. There were 7 or 8 church members in Lebanon at that time but they were not yet united in an organized church. 9

While Ising was directing the work in Lebanon early in 1910, Tigran Zachary, the first Armenian dedicated colporteur, a convert of Theodore Anthony-Tzadour Baharian of Turkey, proclaimed the truth of the second advent and of the Sabbath in Lebanon through the printed page. 10 Then he was joined by Michael Ghafary and together they sold Seventh-day Adventist publications in the major mountain villages and towns. It is worth mentioning that Ising was one of the very few Seventh-day Adventist missionaries to the Middle East who not only believed that mastering the Arabic language was imperative for doing effective evangelism but he

applied himself to learning Arabic at the Protestant Center in the mountains.

After one year of intensive study he rented a home near the Syrian Protestant College (now AUB) in Ras Beirut and began his public ministry among the indigenous population. 11

Baptism of Ibrahim El-Khalil, Shukry Nowfel and Bashir Hasso

Through aggressive personal work and with God's blessing Ising succeeded in establishing a good rapport with a group of students from the Syrian Protestant College some of whom began taking regular Bible studies in his home. For two years he prayed earnestly and labored untiringly until 1911, when he was able to baptize five persons including Ibrahim El-Khalil, Shukry Nowfel and Bashir Hasso. 12 It is interesting to note that Ibrahim El-Khalil was baptized in the brook Cherith where Elijah was fed by ravens. He was a Kurdish Moslem from Turkey who became a pioneer minister in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. Shukry Nowfel was a Lebanese who also became a pioneer gospel minister and effectively served in Lebanon and Syria. As for Bashir Hasso, he became the pioneer layman who took the advent message to his homeland Iraq.

The First Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon

It is most gratifying to know that the first Seventh-day Adventist Church in Beirut was organized under Ising's leadership in 1908-1911. Its membership consisted of 13 members, 7 Arabs, 5 Germans, and 1 Armenian. These earliest converts joined the church out of love for the truth and not for securing denominational employment because the church had no institutions then. 13

While Ising passionately endeavored to expand his mission outreach in Beirut, greater responsibilities were assigned to him. The central European Mission under Conradi appointed him as President of the Middle East Mission that was composed of Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Syria, and Lebanon. Thus heavy administrative work prevented Ising from strengthening the newly established church in Beirut and deepening its outreach there.14

Walter Ising, pioneer missionary to Lebanon

14

Henry Erzberger's Arrival In 1913 Ising spent 9 months in Iraq trying to

gain a foothold there like he had done in Lebanon. During his absence from Lebanon three nationals - Ibrahim El-Khalil, Shukry Nawfel and Dikran Zachary worked in Lebanon. In 1914 they were joined by Henry Erzberger from Switzerland who directed the affairs of the church in Lebanon and remained in the Middle East throughout World War I. At this time church members held Sabbath services in Bhamdoun in the mountains and at Erzberger's home in Ras Beirut. 15

Far-Reaching Effects of World War I

World War I had far reaching effects on the overall outreach mission of the church in the Middle East. Most missionaries who were serving in different countries of the Middle East, together with their German church members returned to Europe for safety reasons. In 1915, the second year of the war, the Beirut Seventh-day Adventist church had 10 members. Like the Seventh-day Adventist expatriates who returned to Europe, the Arab members likewise went back to their homes in Syria and Iraq where each member kept his faith and shared it with his fellow-natives without church fellowship and pastoral care.

While Ising was in Egypt (he had the headquarters transferred to Egypt) he was interned by the British forces and taken to a prison-of-war camp in Malta where he stayed f9r the next five years. The remaining few church members in Lebanon were taken care of by Ibrahim El-Khalil who retained communication with the Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Mission in Istanbul that was under the leadership of Elder Tzadour Baharian.

As for Henry Erzberger, the Swiss missionary, who tried to stay behind and carry on the work in Lebanon, he first moved from Beirut to the Lebanon mountains from where he went to Palestine in 1917 and finally ended up in Istanbul as the British forces approached. With Erzberger's departure, the Syrian Mission (composed of Syria, Lebanon and Cyprus) had no director from 1918-1923. Thus, the war

brought the progress of the work in Lebanon to an abrupt halt. 16

Resumption of Work in Mission Fields

Despite the fatal setback our mission outreach suffered in Lebanon as a direct result of World War I, Seventh-day Adventist leaders maintained their faith in God and in the vision of the divine commission they were called to fulfill in the world. Therefore, in 1920 an outstanding conference was held near Magdelburg, Germany, where European Seventh-day Adventist leaders met with delegates from the General Conference and objectively reevaluated the situation in the mission fields and approved plans to squarely face the needs and challenges they presented. In this particular conference it was decided to give full moral and financial support to the Central European Seventh-day Adventist Mission to resume its work in the mission fields. 17

Walter Ising Revisits Lebanon In 1920 Walter Ising was released from his

61 month confinement in Malta and returned to Germany where he was appointed secretary of the Central European Seventh-day Adventist Mission. At his first opportunity he set out to survey the situation in the Middle East but it was after obtaining visas from the British and French mandates in 1923 that he was able to travel to the region. 18

When he revisited Lebanon, he happily discovered that some of the church members he had baptized and who had been left without pastoral care for several years, had remained loyal throughout the tragic war. This brought great encouragement to his heart. Two of his earliest converts - Ibrahim El-Khalil and Shukry Nowfel who became leading national gospel ministers, had courageously held aloft the torch of truth in Lebanon during his long absence, and Bashir Hasso who had returned to Iraq was serving as an active elder of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Mosul.19

LATER DEVELOPMENTS

15

Nils Zerne Reorganizes the Church After Ising returned to Europe

missionaries were again recruited from the continent and sent over to fill a number of vacant posts in the Middle East. One of these dedicated missionaries was Nils Zerne from Switzerland. When he arrived in Beirut in 1923, he vigorously set out to reconstruct the work and to reorganize the church using the remaining few faithful members as the nucleus. 20

Persecution: A Blessing in Disguise

Down through the ages the history of the church has shown that persecution and adverse circumstances encountered by God's trusting and truth-loving people have been a blessing in disguise for His cause. They have substantially contributed to the progress of the gospel work and have

purified the church. This proved to be true in the case of the Seventh-day Adventist church in Lebanon as well.

In 1921 Nazareth Ohanian, an Armenian Seventh-day Adventist from the city of Adana, Turkey, (Mrs. Sella Nazirian's grandfather) settled in Beirut. Then in 1923 ten additional Armenian Seventh-day Adventists refugees from Turkey arrived in Beirut21 . They were the converts of Tzadour Baharian, Diran Cherakian and Theodore Anthony. Among the Armenian refugees were Sarkis Yerganian (Ara Yerganian's father) and Minas Hamalian (the Hamalians' grandfather). The arrival of these Armenian Seventh-day Adventist members, who had survived the Turkish persecutions and massacres, not only bolstered the dwindled and scattered membership of our church in Lebanon, but also formed the beginning of the Armenian Seventh-day Adventist church in Beirut.

Theodore Anthony (left): The Greek lay member who introduced the Advent message into Turkey in 1889. Tzadour Baharian (right): Theodore Anthony's first convert in Turkey, the first ordained SDA minister in the Middle East, President of the Armenian Mission in Turkey, martyred in Turkey. Their Armenian converts became the nucleus of the Armenian SDA church in Lebanon.

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The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon after World War I

After World War I, when the Mandate Forces allowed Germans to travel in the Middle East, the Central European Division organized the Egypt-Syria Mission in 1923, which in 1927 was renamed as Arabic Union Mission with its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. George Keough was appointed as its president. He directed the work in the Middle East from Cairo until 1929 when Walter Ising joined the mission in the Middle East again. From 1929 to 1942 Walter Ising and George Keough took shifts in the leadership in the Middle East.

During the 1920s, especially after 1923, Nils Zerne, Shukry Nowfel, Ibrahim El-Khalil, Stanley Bull, Wilhelm Lesovski and his wife Charlotte and Walter Ising carried on the work in Lebanon. It is intresting to note that the Ghazal Brothers - Chamoun, Melki, Ibrahim, and Najib - were baptized by Nils Zerne in the Beirut river (Nahr Beirut) in 1926 and after two years their wives followed suit. The Lesovskis served as teachers at Mouseithbeh School in 1929. Then, they were transferred to Syria where they founded the first Seventh-day Adventist Church with 12 members in Damascus. One of Lesovski's converts was Faris Dow, a Lebanese, who as a layman served on the Syrian Mission Committee. 22

Change of Leadership

It should be borne in mind that from 1879-1939 the European missionaries directed and supported the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Arab lands. But when World War II broke out in 1939, they returned to their respective homelands in Europe and the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist mission in the Middle East was taken over by American expatriate workers. 23

During the period extending from 1879-1939 our dedicated European missionaries (especially after Walter Ising's arrival in Lebanon in 1908) with a handful national pastors and lay members served with unstilted faith and energy and succeeded in setting the mission of the church on a permanent footing in the Syrian Mission that comprised Syria, Lebanon and Cyprus.

It is interesting to note that when the European missionaries left the Middle East there were 16 churches and 420 members in the Arabic Union Mission. The Syrian Mission had two churches and 85 members. 24

Seventh -day Adventist Pioneers

The lives and ministry of Seventh-day Adventist pioneers - national and expatriate -were characterized by total commitment without reservations. Their love for Christ and His church compelled them to serve unconditionally. Their supreme goal in life was to glorify God and advance His cause on earth. Winning souls for the kingdom of heaven dictated all their plans and actions. They were on the King's business in season and out of season. They proclaimed their unique message with a sense of urgency. For them the Church, God's family, was the most precious object in the world. They patiently and joyfully bore sufferings for the sake of the church (Col. 1:24). They refrained from doing anything that tended to erode the unity of the church and mar its fair reputation. Only one thing mattered to them - success of the church in revealing God's love to the world and fulfilling its global mission with the purpose of hastening the coming of Jesus.

Honesty demands that we admit the fact that the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon owes its existence to God's transforming grace that flowed to the world through the Christ-centered lives and ministry of our pioneers.

As we consider our pioneers today, let us ask ourselves the question - Do we have the kind of devotion to God's cause that they had?

Pastor Shukry Nowfel: The First Lebanese Ordained Minister

Pastor Shukry Nowfel was one of our pioneer ministers who rendered more than 50 years of outstanding service for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle East. As a young man after attending the National School in Souk-El Gharb near his home, he entered the American University of Beirut. There he came in contact with the German

missionary Walter R. Ising who taught him the "present truth". Desiring to walk in the new light God had revealed to him, he was baptized with four others. Among them were Ibrahim El-Khalil who became a successful minister and Bashir Hasso, distinguished lay person and pioneer of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Iraq.

When God's cause in Lebanon was left without leadership during World War I, Pastor Shukry Nowfel and Pastor Ibrahim El-Khalil continued the work. Responding to the call of the Holy Spirit, he dedicated his life to the gospel ministry. When he proved his call to the ministry both by his spiritual experience and by his soul-saving services, the church set him apart for the gospel work. Thus he became the first Arabic speaking ordained minister in the Middle East.

He married Hneineh Madi and eight children - five daughters and three sons - were born into their family. One of their sons Camille Nowfel, who settled in the U.S.A., ably served as translator for five American presidents.

Pastor Nowfel believed that a Christian pastor is primarily called to the ministry of God's Word. Thus, he applied himself to the study of the Scriptures. His wide knowledge of Scripture and his command of the Arabic

17

language were such that the sermons he preached proved an inspiration to young people and old.

The Lord used him to build up the advent cause in Syria as well. He teamed up with Ibrahim El-Khalil and W. Lesovski and worked in Damascus from 1936-1939. Then he and Hamad Obeid went to Tartous, where they baptized Hanni Srour, mother of Pastor Chafic Srour. Pastor Towfic Issa learned the Sabbath truth from the Srours and carried it to his village Bezag where the first SDA church in Western Syria was built. In addition, he began the work in Aramoun (Aley district) by baptizing his sister Nabeeha Khoury who resided there.

When the Adventist College of Beirut was established in Mouseithbeh in 1939, Pastor Shukri Nowfel was selected to lead out in teaching religion courses.

As the first Arab ordained minister in the Middle East he had the privilege of serving as pastor of the first Arabic speaking church in Lebanon, the Mouseithbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church known as the mother church. He devotedly spent nearly 20 years there, and with the help of the Holy Spirit led many souls to the foot of the cross. By constantly looking to Jesus he became a loving and lovable minister whose positive influence was felt not only among our church members but in the evangelical circles as well.

He realized that there was no release from the ministry while his life lasted. After his retirement on February 1, 1949, he fervently continued to preach and teach the Word with the purpose of advancing the progress of God's work.

This faithful soldier of the cross, wearied by a long illness, full of years and with his eyes fixed on the "Blessed Hope", died in West Beirut on October 20, 1976. The church leaders were not able to go to West Beirut to conduct his funeral service due to the Lebanese civil war that was raging its most destructive stage at that time. Therefore, a pastor of the Evangelical Church, Fuad Behnam, and an Orthodox priest whose name is not recorded, performed his obsequies 25 . With the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of communications in Lebanon, a memorial service in honor of this venerable worker was convened in the Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Pastor Shukry Nowfel, the first Lebanese ordained minister

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Pastor Ibrahim El-Khalil Ibrahim El-Khalil was one of our national

pioneer ordained ministers who made an invaluable contribution to the Seventh-day Adventist church in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine during its formative years. He was a non-Christian who resided in Turkey where after his conversion to Christianity moved to Lebanon. He was one of those who attended the weekly Bible studies in the home of Walter Ising.

Being an honest seeker of truth, together with Shukri Nowfel and Bashir Hasso he joyfully accepted the Sabbath truth. The fact that he was baptized in 1911 by Walter Ising in the brook Cherith where Elijah was fed by ravens indicates that he wanted to be a witness for the Lord filled with the spirit and power of the prophet.

During World War I (1914-1918), when the SDA church in Lebanon was left without leadership, he and Shukry Nowfel continued to share their God-given faith with their fellow-citizens. In 1913 he entered denominational work as a gospel minister and rendered over twenty years of faithful service in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His loving and hospitable wife Mary, a pious German church member, faithfully stood by his side in his varied labors. When Wilhelm Lesovski was sent to direct the mission in

Syria, he and Shukry Nowfel joined Ibrahim El-Khalil in pioneering the work in Damascus from 1936-1939.

After his retirement in 1939 he served as an Arabic teacher at the Adventist College of Beirut (later known as Middle East College) and did translation work serving fervently to the last. He passed away on Thursday morning, November 15, 1945 at the American University Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon, after a lingering illness. 26 Elder Ibrahim El-Khalil was a prince in Israel, a true-hearted servant of God, who served long and well and faithfully and he peacefully passed to his rest awaiting the coming of the Life giver.

Hamad Elias Obeid Hamad Elias Obeid was a dedicated

Christian who labored unceasingly to build up God's cause in the Middle East. He was born in Beit Obeid, Zgharta, North Lebanon. Having been a pupil at the American School in Tripoli for two years, he entered the University of Hikmy (Sagesse) in Beirut, where he studied for seven years with the purpose of becoming a lawyer. Then responding to the invitation of his relative, who was running a lucrative business in Cuba, he immigrated to Cuba in 1912 where he lived for twenty years. He married Marian and two children, a son and a daughter, were born into their home.

During his stay in Cuba, the Holy Spirit led him into the Advent truth. And because he was a linguist (he spoke Arabic, French, Spanish and Assyrian) and possessed the ability to speak persuasively, the church leadership appealed to him to be a full-time salaried minister, but he declined their offer and decided to be a self-supporting itinerant preacher - literature evangelist.

After his wife died in 1932, he returned to his homeland Lebanon in order to share his faith with his compatriots. He then proceeded to Jerusalem, Palestine. There he did the first home to home colporteur work in the Middle East. He covered the city in ten weeks and placed 700 books in different languages in the homes of people.27 His main concern in selling books was not to earn money but to win people to Christ. He used the canvassing work as an avenue to find openings for teaching the truth. He believed

Pastor Ibrahim El-Khalil, pioneer ordained minister

Hamad Elias Obeid, pioneer literature evangelist, itinerant preacher

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that the advent message must be carried to everybody. So, he preached the Word in the homes, in the stores and in the markets. Among the people he called on were not only common folks but also high government officials and heads of states namely King Abdullah, grandfather of King Husein of Jordan, King Faisal and King Saud of Saudi Arabia.

With a sense of urgency he worked in Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, Hejaz (Saudi Arabia), Iraq and Syria. In 1936 he accompanied Pastor Shukry Nowfel to Tartous where they baptized Hanni Srour, mother of Pastor Chafic and Philip Srour through whom Adventism penetrated Western Syria. In 1939 he settled in Lebanon permanently. He married Hanneh and seven children - six sons and one daughter - (the Obeids) were born into their home. He traveled all over Lebanon and placed publications in the homes of people and discussed the Bible with Christian and Moslem clerics. Two prominent Lebanese politicians - the late Soleyman Franjie, President of the Republic of Lebanon, and Riad Solh (a Moslem), Prime Minister of Lebanon, were his friends. They knew that he was a Sabbath-keeping Christian.

The June 21, 1978 issue of the popular French newspaper "Le Reveil" contains a lengthy article in which Hamad Elias Obeid tells how he became a Seventh-day Adventist and explains the meaning of the term Seventh-day Adventist. In the article he is referred to as the missionary in the Arab countries 28 .

This faithful servant of the Lord died on April 21, 1987 at the age of 97 with his hope anchored in the Second Coming of Jesus. His funeral service was conducted by the church leadership in Bousherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was buried in the Obeid Cemetery, Beit Obeid, Zgharta, North Lebanon.

Lebanon's Place in the Organizational Structures of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

From 1897-1930 the term Syria was used to denote the present countries of Syria and Lebanon.

From 1899-1908 the Syria Mission (comprising Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia (Iraq), and Arabia), was under the jurisdiction of the Levant Union Mission with its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany.

In 1909 the Syrian mission was renamed as the Syrian-Egyptian mission that consisted of Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Arabia, Egypt and Egyptian Sudan.

In 1912 the Syrian-Egyptian mission was reorganized. Its territory consisted of Syria and Mesopotamia (Iraq).

In 1913 Arabia was added to the Syrian Mission which was under the administration of the European Division Missions.

In 1915 the Syrian Mission was renamed as the Arabic-Syrian Mission.

In 1923 the Egypt-Syrian Union Mission was organized and enlarged by the annexation of Iraq in 1927.

In 1927 the Central European Division organized the Arabic Union Mission with its headquarters in Jerusalem, Palestine. The Syrian Mission was part of it.

In 1930 the Syrian Mission consisted of Syria, Grand Lebanon, and Cyprus.

In 1944 the Arabic Union Mission was renamed as the Middle East Union Mission under the Central European Division, Section Two, with its headquarters in Takoma Park, Washington D.C., U.S.A.

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From 1944-1947 the Syrian Mission was part of the Middle East Union Mission.

Lebanon was in the territory of the Lebanon-Syria Mission under the Middle East Union Mission from 1948-1950.

In 1951 the Middle East Union was organized into the Middle East Division with its headquarters in Beirut.

In 1958 the Lebanon-Syria Mission was renamed as Lebanon-Syria Section.

In 1959 Lebanon became a Section under the Middle East Division and maintained this status until 1970.

In 1970 the Afro-Mideast Division was organized with its headquarters in Beirut. The Middle East Union, as a part of the newly organized division, was made up of a number of local fields, one of which was the East Mediterranean Field that comprised Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Turkey and Jordan. 29

In 1982 the Middle East Union became a detached union under the direct supervision of the General Conference.

When in the 1990s Cyprus and Turkey were placed under the jurisdiction of the Middle East Union, the East Mediterranean Field's territory was limited to three countries - Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.

In 1995 the Middle East Union joined the Trans-European Division.

Seventh-day Adventist Churches and Institutions in Lebanon

The following is a list of the Seventh-day Adventist churches and institutions that were established in Lebanon during the last one hundred years:

Aramoun Adventist School Aramoun Seventh-day Adventist Church Armenian Adventist School Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church Ashrafieh Seventh-day Adventist Church Beirut Adventist Church School Bishmezzine Adventist School Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church Boucherieh Adventist Secondary School Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church College Park Church Middle East College Middle East Press Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church Physiotherapy Clinic Voice of Prophecy (Bible Correspondence School)

Note: Although Middle East College and Middle East Press are Middle East Union institutions, but because they are established in the territory of the East Mediterranean Field, they have made invaluable contribution to the advancement of God's work in Lebanon. The information on the SDA educational institutions and the press in Lebanon provided in the following pages was prepared in 1997.

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ARAMOUN ADVENTIST SCHOOL

Date of establishment of school 1944-45 Location or address of school: Aramoun, District of Aley Levels of school:

The Primary level began in (year): 1944-45 The Elementary level began in (year): 1944-45

Student enrolment: Lowest number of students enrolled: 4 Highest number of students enrolled : 200

Highest number of teachers employed: 7

Financial status of school: Was the school subsidized by the East Mediterranean Field? Yes Was the school self-supporting? No

Is the school still functioning? No Was the school closed permanently? Yes

Date of its closure: 1983 Reason why it was discontinued: Due to Lebanese civil war.

Names of school principals in chronological order:

Moussa Kerkenny Elias Hanna Alfred Akar Henri Jeha Elias Jeha Joseph Mansour Adel Aboujaoudeh Georgi Abd-ElKarim Milad Abd-ElKarim

Laurice Yacoub Salwa Daher Abd-ElKarim Fawzi Deeb

The following are some of the worthy contributions the school has made to the cause of the SDA church in Lebanon:

It provided Christian education for Adventist children in Aramoun. It exposed Druze children to Adventist teachings, principles and ideals. Many SDA workers received their elementary training at Aramoun Adventist School.

Note: The names of teachers who taught at Aramoun Adventist School are recorded in the directory of employees.

ARAMOUN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

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There are two scenic villages in Lebanon that are called Aramoun. One of them is located in Keserwan, north of Beirut, a mountainous region inhabited by Christians. The other is nestled in the Aley district, Southeast of Beirut, also a mountainous area inhabited by Druzes and Christians.

Once again the Holy Spirit used a faithful lay witness to bring the three Angels' Messages to the village of Aramoun. This lay person was Nabeeha Nowfel Khoury, sister of Shukry Nowfel, pioneer pastor of Mousaithbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church.

After her marriage with a Mr. Khoury, a resident of Aramoun, she earnestly studied the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with her brother Pastor Shukry Nowfel, who had the joy and privilege of baptizing her into the Great Advent Family.

Thus, she became the first Seventh-day Adventist in Aramoun.

Complying with Christ's exhortation that His followers must let their light shine before men (Matt. 5:14,15), she began sharing her God-given faith in the Christian community of Aramoun. Her earnest prayers and efforts coupled with Pastor Nowfel's support through periodic pastoral visits created a genuine interest in the hearts of Aramounites, some of whom gladly accepted the advent message and sealed their loyalty to it by baptism. They were the first fruits of a larger harvest of baptisms that followed in later years.

As church membership grew in Aramoun, and there were a good number of Adventist children there, the Lebanon-Syria Mission, under R. H. Hartwell's administration,

Aramoun Seventh-day Adventist school and church built in 1958.

decided to establish an elementary school for them. The school began functioning in a rented building in the mid 1940s. Our church members held their weekly religious services in the school building until 1958 when a new school building was built that in addition to classrooms had a spacious hall which was used as a church. The contractor of the new school building in Aramoun was Yenovk Dardaghanian, the dedicated elder of the Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Although it was a small church with over 40 members, it served as an effective agency in spreading the light of the gospel among Christians and Druzes in the Aley district. The school and church in Aramoun gave many talented workers to the SDA denomination.

In 1983 the school and church activities in Aramoun were brought to a halt as a result of the 16-year long Lebanese war. This tragic war created an atmosphere of fear, danger and insecurity throughout the country.

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Therefore, all the Aramounite Christians, including our workers and church members, left their homes and took refuge in comparatively safer places in Lebanon. The homes of Christians in Aramoun were destroyed, a real calamity that prevented them from returning there. Thus, some of our church members immigrated to foreign countries, and the remaining church members joined the Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the Beirut area.

In 1994 the East Mediterranean Field Committee took action to sell the Aramoun School and church property. The proceeds from the sale of the property were used to purchase a permanent campsite (16000 sq. m) at Baskinta, a picturesque summer resort in the Math district in Lebanon.

The following people provided pastoral care for the Aramoun Seventh-day Adventist Church: Shukry Nowfel, George Raffoul, Gaby Bejjani, Salam Aboujawda, Jalal Doss, and Fawzi Deeb.

The new Baskinta campsite purchased in 1994.

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Armenian Adventist school built in 1963.

ARMENIAN ADVENTIST SCHOOL

Date of establishment of school: 1938 Location or address of school: Khalil Badawy, (later) Bourj-Hammoud,

Beirut, Lebanon

Levels of school: The Primary level began in (year): 1938 The Elementary level began in (year) : 1938 The Intermediate level began in (year): 1963

Student enrolment: Lowest number of students enrolled: 16 Highest number of students enrolled : 350 Student enrolment when the school was closed: 125

Highest number of teachers employed: 14 Financial status of school:

Was the school subsidized by the East Mediterranean Field? Yes Was the school self-supporting? No

Is the school still functioning? No Was the school closed permanently? Yes

Date of its closure: 1984 Reason why it was discontinued: Financial loss

Names of school principals in chronological order: Yepraxi Gomig Hosanna Ayoub Sella Nazirian Haigouhy Delice Hagop Keushguerian Sella Nazirian Nourhan Ouzounian Mary Bitar Sella Nazirian Aram Aghassian Jirair Kourouyan L. H. Cowles Minas Megerditchian Sella Nazirian

The following are some of the worthy contributions the school has made to the SDA church in Lebanon:

It provided Christian education for the children of the church. Hundreds of non-Adventist children passed through its gates where they learned the principles of true education and the real values of life. It was an effective agency for winning people to Christ. It educated more than forty Armenian youth to become denominational workers.

Note: The names of teachers who taught in Armenian Adventist School are recorded in the directory of employees.

ARMENIAN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

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The Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon originated with the help of eleven Armenian refugees who fled from Turkey and settled in this hospitable country in 1920 and 1923. They lived in the large Armenian refugee camp near the Beirut seaport. Here they held religious meetings in a very modest wooden room and let their light shine in the community. Pastor Parounag, a new convert, served as their pastor for a while. They also received pastoral care from Elders Nils Zezne and Walter Ising . The small community made up of Armenian and Arabic speaking members constantly communicated with each other.

The pastoral visit of Elder Willian A. Spicer (General Conference president) to Lebanon was a turning point in Beirut. When he visited the Armenian believers in the refugee camp he was so touched by the sight of the wooden church that he assured them that upon his return to America he would do his best to provide sufficient funds for the construction of a new church building for them. This kind gesture on the part of the GC president greatly encouraged and strengthened the Armenian Church members. As a trustworthy leader Elder Spicer kept his promise by sending from the

General Conference the needed money with which a piece of land was purchased in the district of Khalil Badawy in Beirut and a beautiful church building was erected on it. In 1938 the Ghazal brothers, Najeeb and Ibrahim, themselves refugees from Turkey, who became the official builders of our church in Lebanon, built the church building and brother Mansour Aboujawdeh, an expert carpenter (father of Elder Salam Aboujawdeh) did the wood work in it. The Armenian believers were deeply grateful that they now had a presentable church building in which to worship God and to use it as a consecrated channel to spread the saving light of truth in the city.

Following the construction of the new church building from 1939 to 1997, a period of 58 years, the following individuals served as pastors of the Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church: Neshan Hovanessian (licensed minister), Dikran Der Housiguian (church elder), Abraham Mazloumian (licensed minister), R.L.Mole (licensed minister), M,C Grin (ordained minister, Swiss), Manoug Nazirian (ordained minister), Aram Aghassian (ordained minister), A. Zuriguian (layman), Raymond Khatchadourian (licensed minister), Levon

The Armenian SDA church members (refugees from Turkey) held their church services in a wooden church in Beirut (1920s).

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1. The Armenian SDA church and school built in 1938, Khalil Badawy, Beirut. 2. The Armenian SDA church built in 1955, Khalil Badawy, Beirut.

Maksoudian (licensed minister), Raffic Keshishzadeh (licensed minister).

During Elder Manoug Nazirian's ministry (1952-1967) in 1955 a new church building was built adjacent to the first church building in order to accommodate the outgrowing membership. Elder R.H. Harllwell, President of the East Mediterranean Union and the Lebanon-Syria Mission led out in the dedicatory service of the church. Several evangelistic efforts were conducted in the new church as a result of which the advent message was preached to hundreds of Armenians in Beirut.

The year 1958 was marked by a nation wide civil conflict in Lebanon. The situation in the district where our church was located became so unsafe that the Lebanon-Syrian Mission in collaboration with the Middle East Division decided to sell our church

property and to transfer the church to a safe area in the city. Hence, through a magnanimous special appropriation of $150,000.00 from the General Conference it was possible to purchase a lot of 1600 square meters in Bourj Hammoud where a new church and a new school were erected. Its construction was initiated and completed while Elder Salim Noujeim and George Khoury successively served as presidents of the Lebanon-Syria Mission. This new building was named Bourj-Hammoud Evangelistic Center. It is the largest Seventh-day Adventist auditorium in the Middle East with a seating capacity of 800.

It is appropriate to give grateful recognition to Elder R.A. Wilcox, Middle East Division President (1959-1966), who was primarily responsible for the implementation of this outstanding project. The church was dedicated on January 9,

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1965. Seven hundred members and visitors attended this special event. Among those who took part in the program was Pastor Farid Audi, President of the Supreme Council of Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon. Elder R.R. Figuhr, President of the General Conference preached the dedication sermon in response of which this edifice was dedicated to God for worship in prayer and song and for the preaching of the living Word.

Just the next day Manoug Nazirian, pastor of the church, launched a major evangelistic effort which was attended by several hundred people. Among those who assisted him in the evangelistic campaign were Krikor Yessayan, Minas Megueditchian, George Manoukian, Vartkes Azadian, Raymond Kiraz, and Sella Nazirian. This was the second largest evangelistic effort held for Armenians in Lebanon. The largest evangelistic effort held in the history of the Middle East was in a rented cinema hall in Bourj-Hammoud in 1948-1949. Twelve hundred persons attended it. Elder E. L.Branson, President of the Middle East Union Mission and Elder F. J. Harder, President of Middle East College, led out in this major public campaign.

The Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church consisting of some 90 members was one of the most active churches in Lebanon. The Lord used it effectively to evangelize the Armenian population in Lebanon and through its ministry many Armenians accepted the advent message. Besides, by God's help it gave more than fifty national workers to the cause of the church. The names of these workers appear in the directory of workers.

The 16-year long Lebanese war (1975-1991) greatly affected the Armenian Church and its outreach program. Heavy bombardment badly damaged the church building and made it inoperative. It also accelerated the immigration of many Armenian Seventh-day Adventist families to the United States as a result of which the church membership was drastically reduced.

At present the remaining 15-20 members are by God's help committed to reviving their beloved church. It is imperative that the East Mediterranean Field administration find a way to generate the necessary funds to restore this beautiful auditorium to its original state so that it will continue to be a powerful instrumentality in bringing many souls to Christ.

The new Armenian SDA Church (Evangelistic Center) at Bourj-Hammoud in Beirut

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Dedication Service at Bourj Hammoud

Below: Leaders gather in the reception room before beginning the service.

Above: Elder R.R. Figuhr, the General Conference President, gives the sermon as Elder Manoug Nazirian, the church pastor, translates.

Below: Elder R. A. Wilcox, the Division President, is joined at the pulpit by Elder A. A. Haddad, MV and Temperance Secretary of the Division.

Left corner: The congregation stands for the act of dedication. Below: A view of the large audience filling auditorium for the dedication service.

ASHRAFIEH SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

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In 1959 a three-floor building was built near the national museum in the Ashrafieh area in Beirut. The ground floor was a beautiful 250 seat evangelistic center. The second floor was occupied by the Physiotherapy Clinic. The third floor accommodated the Lebanon Section headquarters and the Voice of Prophecy office. This was a multi-purpose building (named Adventist Center) established for the purpose of proclaiming the Three Angels' Messages (Revelation 14:6-12) and winning converts in a new area in the city.

When this evangelistic center was ready for use, the Lebanon Section under Elder Chafic Srour's leadership thought of starting a new church there. In harmony

with this plan, some members from Mouseitbeh Church volunteered to transfer their membership to the new church. This was a kind of church implantation.

The members were mobilized to take an active part in the outreach programs of the church. Elder Harry E. Robinson, an American expatriate minister presented the first series of public meetings there. He was one of the very few missionaries in the Middle East who put forth special efforts to preach in Arabic. Aida Farah and Ruby Williams (credentialed Bible workers) worked with great fervor to build up the new church. Ashrafieh church was organized with a charter membership of 40 on October 7, 1961.

Interior view of the Achrafieh Seventh-day Adventist Church built in 1959, Hotel Dieu street, Beirut.

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A series of major evangelistic efforts were held there that resulted in the baptism of new members. Elder Robert Taylor, Ministerial Association Secretary of the Afro-Mideast Division, led out in one of these evangelistic series. He was assisted by a group of ministers - R. D. Pifer, Angeli Gayed, Aram Aghassian, George Raffoul, Edward Skoretz, Gaby Bejjani, Salam Aboujawdeh, Salem Majeed, Nathan Malaka, Milad Modad, Manoug Nazirian, and VOP workers Philip Srour and Michael Katreeb. Elder Harley Bresee, Director of the Adventist Cultural Center, also conducted an evangelistic campaign which was directed especially to the non-Christian community in the city. Then, Roland Vertallier, pastor-evangelist of Bordeaux SDA Church, France, held the first public meetings in French (1969) with the purpose

of reaching the French speaking community.

Ashrafieh Church effectively functioned for 17 years (1961-1978) and then its religious services and activities were disrupted as a result of the Lebanese civil war (1975-1991) during which heavy bombing badly damaged the Adventist Cultural Center. The church members met for worship in the Afro-Mideast Division administration bulding in Sabtiye for a while and then they joined the Bousherieh Church.

During its existence of seventeen years, Ashrafieh Church was under the pastoral care of the following ministers: Chafic Srour, Salam Aboujawde, Angeli Gayed and Borge Schantz.

Facade of the Ashrafieh Seventh-day Adventist

church

Beirut Adventist Church school

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BEIRUT ADVENTIST CHURCH SCHOOL

Date of establishment of school : September, 1984 Location or address of school: Sabtiyeh, Beirut, Lebanon Levels of school:

The Primary Level began in (year): 1984 The Elementary level began in (year): 1984 The Intermediate level began in (year): 1984 The Secondary level began in (year): 1985 (only for 1 year) (Gr. 11)

Student enrolment: Lowest number of students enrolled: Highest number of students enrolled : Student enrolment when the school was closed:

approx. 30 students approx. 50 students 23 students

Highest number of teachers: 4 teachers when it was closed. Financial status of school:

Was the school subsidized by the East Mediterranean Field? Yes Was the school self-supporting? No Is the school still functioning? No Was the school closed permanently? Yes Date of its closure: September, 1997 Reason why it was discontinued: Financial loss

Sale of the Division property

Names of school principals in chronological order:

Raja Farah Raffy Manassian Wadad Karam

The following are some of the worthy contributions the school has made to the SDA church in Lebanon:

It created an Adventist atmosphere for the church's children. It taught Adventist children the centrality of the Bible in Christian education. It provided our children with extra-curricular activities aimed at developing in them the spirit of Christian service.

Note: The names of teachers who taught in Beirut Adventist Church School are recorded in the directory of employees.

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Bishmezzine Adventist School built in 1952, Bishmezzine, El-Koura, North, Lebanon.

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BISHMEZZINE ADVENTIST SCHOOL

Date of establishment of school: 1952 Location or address of school: Bishmezzine, El-Koura, North Lebanon Levels of school:

The Primary level began in (year): 1952 The Elementary level began in (year): 1952 The Intermediate level began in (year): 1960

Student enrolment: Lowest number of students enrolled: 85 Highest number of students enrolled: 250 Current student enrolment: 85

Highest number of teachers employed: 14 Financial status of school:

Is the school subsidized by the East Mediterranean Field? Yes Is the school self - supporting? No Is the school still functioning? Yes

Names of school principals in chronological order: Alfred Akkar Fouad Nowfel Naim Mashni George Issa Issa Kharma Haifa Aboujawde Joseph Mansour Adel Aboujawde Elias Ieha Fawzi Deeb Johnny Issa Johnny Manassian

The school has provided Christian education for our children and produced many workers for the chruch.

Note: The names of teachers who taught in Bishmezzine Adventist School are recorded in the directory of employees.

BISHMEZZINE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

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The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bishmezzine, El-Koura, North Lebanon, came into being as a result of a group of devoted expatriate and national workers who had passion for evangelism and who through full dependence upon God were willing to encounter hardship for the sake of the Advent message.

In the fall of 1947, Pastor Wayne Olson and his wife Mildred, a dedicated American missionary couple, accepted the challenge to carry the good news of salvation to North Lebanon. They chose Shekka, a coastal town on the road to Tripoli as the base for their mission. This particular town is noted for its cement factory that produces top quality cement. There they spent four very exciting and fruitful years during which they faced

unbelievable persecution and life threatening situations until God overcame the opposition and the way was opened for the message to penetrate the El-Koura district. Fifty-four people were baptized. This phenomenal success in soul-winning is due to four factors: 1) Total dependence upon the Holy Spirit; 2) Team work -missionaries and national workers working together harmoniously; 3) Fellowship and associating (mingling) with people; 4) Pre-eminence of personal evangelism with emphasis on giving systematic Bible studies. The Olsons teamed up with a group of energetic and zealous young national ministers in building up the work in this region. These national ministers were Mousa Ghazal, Michael Kebbas, Faris Bishai, George Raffoul and Maurice Katreeb. Their

Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church built in 1954-1955.

united prayers and selfless efforts were richly rewarded when a new church for God's glory was organized in Bishmezzine.

Elder Wayne Olson chose a site for a church and school before he and his family left on furlough. Elder George Appel (President of the Middle East Division), Elder R. H. Hartwell (President of the East Mediterranean Union and the Lebanon-Syria Mission), A. W. Fund (Secretary - Treasurer of the Lebanon-Syria Mission), and D. V. Kubrock, newly appointed pastor of Bishmezzine Church, oversaw the building of the church in 1954-1955.

Did you know that a relative of Ellen G. White made a valuable contribution to the cause of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon? That person was Mrs. Gladys Kubrock. The self-sacrificing ministry of the Kubrocks characterized by genuine hospitality and sympathy made them lovable Christians in their community and greatly enriched and strengthened the work in their field of labor.

From 1947 to 1997 the following workers served as pastors of Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church: Wayne Olson (ordained), D.V. Kubrock (ordained), George Raffoul (ordained), Shehadi Halabi (licensed), Towfic Issa (ordained), Gabriel Katreeb (ordained) Salam Aboujawda (ordained), Milad Madad (licensed), Fawzi Deeb (church elder), Awaida Wahbe (licensed), Fady Ghafary (licensed), Aram Matti (licensed).

Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church like its sister churches has given many valuable workers to God's cause in Lebanon. The names of these workers are found in the directory of employees.

It is a well-known fact that uninterrupted immigration has drastically reduced the membership of Seventh-day Adventist churches in Lebanon including the Bishmezzine Church. Many active families from North Lebanon have settled in the United States and Australia. We still have some fifteen members in North Lebanon who under the current active leadership of Pastor Aram Matti are praying and working to revive the church.

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Exterior view of the Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church, Bishmezzine, El-Koura, North Lebanon

Interior view of the Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church

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Boucherieh Adventist Secondary School

The new kindergarten of Boucherieh Adventist Secondary School

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BOUCHERIEH ADVENTIST SECONDARY SCHOOL

Date of establishment of school: February 15, 1949 Location or address of school: Sid El-Bousherieh, Beirut, Lebanon

Levels of school: The Primary level began in (year) 1949

The Elementary level began in (year): 1949 The Intermediate level began in (year): 1949 The Secondary level began in (year): 1949

Student enrolment: Lowest number of students enrolled: 120 Highest number of students enrolled: 460 (1996-1997) Current student enrolment: 400

Highest number of teachers employed: 40

Financial status of school: Was the school subsidized by the East Mediterranean Field? No Was the school self - supporting? Yes

Names of school principals in chronological order: Jad Katrib Issa Kharma Issa Obeid

The following are some of the worthy contributions the school has made to the SDA church in Lebanon:

Spreading Christian education to future generations. Supporting the church in its various evangelistic efforts through programs prepared at the school. Giving the Bible message to non-SDA teachers at the school. Supporting the church financially in all possible ways.

Note: The names of teachers who taught in Boucherieh Adventist Secondary School are recorded in the directory of employees.

BOUCHERIEH SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

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The year 1954 marks the beginning of Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church. That year a dedicated teacher at Middle East College, Miss Edith Davis together with a group of students from Middle East College began a Pathfinder Club for the children in the Assyrian Quarter at the bottom of Sabtiyeh hill. The children who joined the Pathfinder Club greatly enjoyed their varied activities and soon the interest in the club grew and more help was needed. Some Master Guides from the College Missionary Volunteer Society joined them.

The Bible stories told by our young people in Pathfinder meetings created a definite interest in studying the Bible. The parents joined their children in studying the Word as a result of which a Branch Sabbath School was organized. Additional space was needed so the group rented a room in that area and the Lebanon Section under Elder Chafic Srour's presidency paid the rent while the College Ministerial Seminar cared for the various meetings, programs, and miscellaneous expenses.

In October 1956, the Branch Sabbath School was transferred to the newly built Middle East College Elementary School building (presently occupied by the EMF) and continued to be held in the afternoon. The Religion Department of the college also showed a keen interest in this Branch Sabbath School and bought a portable organ for the group.

In October 1957, the Branch Sabbath School was organized

into a regular Sabbath School and weekly church services were held on Sabbath afternoons. Miss Davis was in charge of the Sabbath School, and the Ministerial Seminar was responsible for church services. This evangelistic function provided a twofold blessing - the participants were enriched spiritually, and the students received training in effective service.

Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church

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In 1958, both the Sabbath School and the Church Service were changed to meet in the mornings, thus it became more convenient for the community members to attend.

In 1961, the group began to meet in the college chapel. Two services were held weekly. The early morning service was in English, followed by the Sabbath School in Arabic and English. Then at 11:00 A.M. the Arabic service met.

The Arabic services were moved to the worship room of the Men's Dormitory in January 1965 and became a section of the main College Park Church with Pastor Samir Shahine as the associate pastor in charge of the Arabic speaking group. It remained there until January 17, 1970.

Due recognition is to be given to Pastor Salim Japas from Argentina (Middle East Division Evangelist) who devotedly labored along side Pastor Shahine to build up this small group of believers into a church body. It was primarily through his initiative and promotion that the new Boucherieh Church building was completed and organized in January 17, 1970. Then the Arabic Section of the College Park Church moved to the newly built edifice. The construction of the church was financed by the Middle East Division.

The new Boucherieh Church was dedicated on February 7, 1970. The dedication sermon was given by Pastor C. C.

Guenther, Lay Activities Secretary of the General Conference. Among others who took part in the program was Pastor Ibrahim Dagher, President of the Supreme Council of Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon.

Mrs. Madlene Gilleroth, music teacher at the College, served as the pianist at the dedication service. She proudly played the Baby-grand piano for which she had solicited the funds with great enthusiasm. Elder. Salim Japas was appointed as the pastor of the new church with a charter membership of 82.31

In 1980 the members of Ashrafieh Church began worshipping in Boucherieh Church. This was not a formal union of the two churches. The reason for this was the Lebanese civil war during which the museum area where the Ashrafieh Church was located was heavily bombed, thus our church members were not able to attend their weekly church services. As a result Bousherieh Church became the largest Arabic speaking Church in Lebanon, and many of its young men and young women dedicated their lives and talents to God's cause in Lebanon. The following persons have served as pastors of Bousherieh Church: Samir Shahine, Salim Japas, Shehadi Halabi, Angeli Gayed, George Raffoul, Raja Farah, Nathan Malaka, and Levon Maksoudian.

Facade of Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church New Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church dedication, January 17,1970.

COLLEGE PARK CHURCH

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The beginning of the College Park Church dates back to the establishment of Middle East College in 1939. It was organized for providing services of worship for the students and the faculty and staff of the college.

In the early years of the college, before the present administration building was built, religious services, prayer meetings, Friday evening vespers, Sabbath School and church services were held in the following places: Mouseitbeh Church (1939-1941), Amman (1941), Mouseitbeh Church (1941-1943), Grand Hotel, Beit Mery (1945-1946), Hotel Ghassoub, Beit Mery (1946-1947), Middle East College womenis dormitory, college cafeteria (1948-1953), Middle East College chapel (1954 to the present time). The two floors of the administration building including the college chapel were built in 1954.

The master plan of the college included a separate church edifice, which was supposed to be built between the men's dormitory and the bakery building. This plan never materialized because of lack of funds.

From 1965 to 1978, when Middle East College functioned under the jurisdiction of two successive Divisions namely Middle East Division and Afro-Mideast Division,

College Park Church in Grand Hotel, Beit Mery (1946)

College Park Church became the largest church in Lebanon with a total membership of 200. Some of the members were new converts. But the bulk of membership was made up of expatriate workers at the college, Division workers, Adventist students from the four Unions (three of which were on the continent of Africa), and native Seventh-day Adventists from churches in the Beirut area. College Park Church was truly a cosmopolitan church. It was a church rich in talents. Its musical band (under the direction of E. D. McGhee) consisting of a company of performers of various types of instruments greatly enriched the religious services and social activities of the college. The weekend religious services were deeply inspiring and uplifting.

College Park Church served as a training center where students - prospective workers - were offered opportunities to take part in its religious programs and to learn how to organize and conduct dignified and edifying church services.

Although no evangelistic efforts were held in the College Park Church (due to its proximity to Bousherieh Church), its pastors and members gave full support to the evangelistic activities of all the Seventh-day Adventist Churches throughout Lebanon.

College Park Church in the college cafeteria (1948)

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They took part in the work of distributing handbills, visiting and providing rich music in the evangelistic efforts. Besides, two of its pastors namely Frederick Harder (College President), Kenneth Vine (College President) and Richard Muller (Head of the Religion Department of the College) conducted public meetings in Bourj-Hammoud, Aramoun and Bishmezzine respectively.

The Lebanese civil war (1975-1991) had a detrimental effect on the operation of the college. The college area - Sabtiye - was intensely bombed. Classes were discontinued. Expatriate workers residing at the college and in other organizations in Lebanon were asked to leave Lebanon for safety reasons. So, there was a mass evacuation in 1978 and 1982 as a result of which all expatriate workers and most of the non-Lebanese students departed from Lebanon. Thus both the college enrollment and membership of the College Park Church were sharply reduced.

Despite this setback beyond control, a company of dedicated and courageous indigenous workers with their faith anchored in God, kept the college and the College Park Church running in the face of seemingly insurmountable difficulties. When the sixteen - year long Lebanese war ended in 1991, both the college and the College Park Church began to function freely and normally again. Today College Park Church, the throbbing heart of Middle

East College, with a membership of about 65 continues to provide lofty worship for its constituency and to present the gospel to the community through its various outreach programs. It is worth noting that a host of outstanding Adventist ministers from around the world including three General Conference Presidents - Elder R. R. Fighur, Elder Robert Pearson and Elder Neal Wilson have preached from the pulpit of the College Park Church bringing messages of hope and encouragement from heaven to God's Remnant people in Lebanon.

The following people have served as pastors of College Park Church from its beginning to the present time:

College administration-1939-1945, J. S. Russell - 1947-1951, 1957-1952, 1965-1969, 1981-1982, G. A. Keough-1951-1952, 1954-1956, 1962-1963, G. M. Krick - 1952-1953, A. W. Fiedler- 1953-1954, Fred Veltman - 1956-1957, K. L. Vine - 1958-1960, E. L. Gammon -1960, K. S. Oster - 1960-1961, H. S. Johnson -1961, W. E. Olson - 1963-196430, Richard Fenn (associate pastor) - 1966-1969, Bertil Gilleroth - 1970, Edward Skoretz - 1971-1975, Arthur Moyer - 1976-1977, Jon Green -1978, Johnny Manassian -1979-1980, 1985, Ray Roth - 1983-1984, Hamzik Keshishzadeh - 1990-1992, Raja Farah -1992-1993, Levon Maksoudian - 1993-1994, Claude Lombart - 1995 to present time.

Exterior view of the College Park Church

Interior view of the College Park Church

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Middle East College administration building, library and classrooms

Middle East College Boys Dormitory

Middle East College Girls Dormitory

MIDDLE EAST COLLEGE

Date of establishment of college: 1939 Location or address of college: Originally Mouseitbeh,

Now Sabtieh, Bouchrieh, Beirut, Lebanon Student enrolment:

Lowest number of students enrolled: 12 students Highest number of students enrolled: 260 students Current student enrolment: 149 students

Current number of teachers: 12 regular, 14 part-time

Financial status of college: Is the college subsidized by the Middle East Union? No Is the college self-supporting? Yes

Names of college presidents in chronological order:

G. Arthur Keough, 1939-1949, 1962-1965 Gilbert M. Krick, 1944-1946, 1950-1951 Frederick E. J. Harder, 1946-1950 Thomas S. Geraty, 1951-1955, 1957-1959 Cecil L. Gemmell (Interim President) 1955-1957 George Y. Got (Interim President) - 1957 Reymond H. Hartwell (Interim President) - 1959 Robert C. Darnell (Interim President) 1959-1960

Ed. D. Gammon, 1960-1961 Keneth L. Vine, 1965-1971 Ole C. Bjerkan, 1971-1974 Victor Christianson (Interim President) - 1974 Ralph L. Koorenny, 1974-1978 Joseph Estephan, 1978-1980 Donald 0. Eichner, 1980-1984 Edmond A. Haddad (Interim President) - 1983 Manoug Nazirian (Interim President) 1984 Edmond Haddad, 1984-1990 Manoug Nazirian, 1990-1993 Juanito Villagomez, 1993-1997 Svein Myklebust, 1997 to present time

The following are some of the worthy contributions the college has made to the SDA church in Lebanon:

Almost all the national workers who are serving the SDA Church in various capacities in the Middle East region have been trained at Middle East College. It has also educated many young people from different religious backgrounds, who are now holding important positions and are making worthy contributions to their countries. It has given full support to the outreach programs of the SDA Church in Lebanon. It is known as the educational flagship of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle East.

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Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School administration building and classrooms

ADVENTIST SECONDARY SCHOOL F011\01-A1 192 0

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Facade of Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School

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MOUSEITBEH ADVENTIST SECONDARY SCHOOL

Date of establishment of school: 1929 Location or address of school: Mouseithbeh, Mar Elias Str., Beirut, Lebanon

Levels of school: The Primary level began in (year): 1929 The Elementary level began in (year): 1929 The Intermediate level began in (year): 1931 The Secondary level began in (year): 1973

Student enrolment: Lowest number of students enrolled: 150 Highest number of students enrolled: 1060 Current student enrolment: 1026

Highest number of teachers employed: 73

Financial status of school: Was the school subsidized by the East Mediterranean Field? No Was the school self-supporting? Yes

Nathes of school principals in chronological order:

Hanna Gibran Salim Njeim Adeeb Fargo Jad Katrib Issa Kharma Alfred Akar L. H. Cowles Jad Katrib Samir Shahine Issa Kharma Johnny Manassian

The following are some of the worthy contributions the school has made to the SDA church in Lebanon:

Supports the EMF financially. Produced many workers. It is an effective agency for spreading God's message of love and salvation in West Beirut.

Note: The names of teachers who taught in Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School are recorded in the directory of employees.

Facade of the Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church built in 1929.

MOUSEITBEH SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

4$

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Zeydaniye Mouseitbeh, West Beirut, is known as "the mother church", because not only was it the first Arabic speaking church in Lebanon but also played a direct role in the establishment of other Arabic churches in Lebanon.

The date 1908-1911 as referred to earlier, marks the beginning of Mouseitbeh Seventh-

day Adventist Church. It was Walter K. Ising, the self-sacrificing pioneer missionary from Germany who was used by the Holy Spirit to erect a new memorial for God's glory and for the proclamation of His last warning and saving message in Beirut, the heart of Lebanon.

Before Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church was built on its present

site in Zeydaniye, Mouseitbeh, the original church members together with their Pastor Walter Ising held their religious services in in the pastor's home in the district of Howz Saatiye, near American University of Beirut. In 1915 there were only 10 Seventh-day Adventists in Beirut. As the war continued, the original membership dwindled or was scattered.

Following World War I, Nils Zerne from Switzerland arrived in Beirut in 1923 and assumed the leadership of the church in Lebanon and Syria. At the first opportunity he set out to regroup the scattered members and began nurturing them spiritually. As our church members ardently shared their God-given faith with their fellow-citizens, the Lord added new converts to the fold of Christ. Membership grew to the point where expansion was needed. So during Nils Zerne's and Walter Ising's leadership a piece of land was purchased in Zeydaniye, Mouseitbeh, on which a beautiful church building was built in 1929. The three Ghazal brothers (who had come from Turkey) - Melki (Aida Farah's father) and her two uncles Ibrahim and Najeeb built the Mouseitbeh Church.

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Mansour Aboujawdeh (Faiza Asmar's father) made the wooden doors and windows in the church, and Nazaret Ohanian did the painting. In addition to the Aboujawdehs and Ghazals, among the original members of Mouseitbeh were Michael Ghafary (father of Manasseh Ghafary), Shukry Nowfel, (first national ordained minister in Lebanon), Ibrahim Touma (father of Rose Kharma), and Ibrahim El-Khalil.

In the 1950s, Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School badly needed additional space due to its rapidly growing enrollment. So, the Mouseitbeh Church building with its facilities were handed over to the school to help it meet its physical needs. This necessitated the construction of a new church building on the school property in 1959.

From its beginning up to the present time Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church has received pastoral and evangelistic care and leadership from the following workers: Walter Ising, Nils Zerne, Shukry Nowfel, Ibrahim El-Khalil, C. C. Crider, Anees Haddad, George Raffoul, Maurice Katreeb, Salim Noujeim, W. A. Potter, George Khoury, Samir Shahine, and Elie Wehbe (present pastor).

The Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church has been a lighthouse for "present truth" for sixty years. The Lord has used it as an avenue to bring many Lebanese into the fold of the Great Shepherd. This church has under God's blessing produced more than 40 national workers who have made and are still making a worthy contribution to the SDA church in Lebanon. The names of these workers appear in the directory of employees.

The new Seventh-day Adventist church built in 1959, Facade of the new Mouseithbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church Mouseitbeh, Beirut.

Middle East Pess situated on the Sabtiye Hill, Beirut.

MIDDLE EAST PRESS PRINT ERS.,0PUBLISHERS

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Offset printing machine

Much of the literature produced at Middle East Press was distributed by student colporteurs in Lebanon.

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MIDDLE EAST PRESS

Date of establishment: 1947 Location or address of press: P.O.Box 90484, Jdeidt EL Matn,

Ferdaws St., Sabtieh Hill, Beirut, Lebanon

Type of literature produced: Religious, Health and Social. Languages in which literature is produced: Arabic, English, Armenian, Persian (Farisi). Geographical area the press is serving: Countries of the Middle East Union.

Is the press a self-supporting institution? No Is the press subsidized by the Middle East Union? Yes Highest number of workers employed in the past: 26 Current number of workers: 4

Names of press managers in chronological order:

C. Dinning (1951-1952) J. McCulloch ( 1952-1958) E. Anderson (1969-1976) A. Akman (1969-1976) Deitter Gramkow (1976-1982) Roger Stocks (1982-1984) Moses Elmadgian (1985-1990) Roland Fidelia (1992-1996) Elias Asmar, Acting Manager (1996 to present time)

Some of the worthy contributions the press has made to the SDA church in Lebanon:

Supplied the literature evangelists with the books needed which in turn made the Adventists known all over Lebanon. Helped students gain scholarships, who in turn graduated and some of whom are currently serving the church in the Middle East and elsewhere. Supplies the church in Lebanon with Bible Lessons for the use of pastors and Bible workers. Gave the church an Arabic Church Manual for its workers and nationals in Lebanon who do not read the English Language. Is currently in touch with other presses and publishing houses and acquaints them with our literature through printing some of it there.

The office of the "Voice of Prophecy" Bible Correspondence School on the third floor of the Adventist Center, Hotel Dieu street, Beirut

Arabic Voice of Prophecy graduation in Beirut Adventist Center

Armenian Voice of Prophecy graduation in Beirut Adventist Center

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"VOICE OF PROPHECY"

Bible Correspondence School

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A Bible Correspondence School called Voice of Prophecy was established in 1948 in order to augment the proclamation of the advent message in Lebanon. Its office was located on the first floor of the Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church building in West Beirut. The VOP was under the supervision of the East Mediterranean Union.

Elder George Keough served as its first director. Five other workers assisted him in running it. Elder Keough, who spoke Arabic fluently, Najla Aboujawdeh, Esther Ghazal and Naheela Kerkanny took care of the Arabic lessons, Aram Ashod and Sella Nazirian were responsible for the Armenian lessons.

The Seventh-day Adventist churches in Lebanon enthusiastically supported this unique school by enrolling thousands of students. who were desiring to read the word of God. A considerable number of enrollees were non -Christians.

The Voice of Prophecy Bible Correspondence course consisted of 36 lessons that covered the fundamental teachings of the Bible. These lessons were daily sent into the homes of hundreds of people throughout Lebanon. Through this effective agency the seeds of truth were sown in many places in Lebanon that were not accessible to our preachers.

Many thrilling testimonies were received from the enrollees. One of these testimonies reads: "Since I began to read your lessons, I felt as if the Holy Spirit was working in me. But on the other hand the devil is tempting my soul. Please pray for me that I may be firm in the truth of the Bible." 31

From 1948-1958 the Voice of Prophecy Correspondence School effectively carried out its mission from Mouseitbeh. Then in 1959 it was transferred to its new office on the third floor of the Adventist Cultural Center in Hotel Dieu Street, Ashrafiye, Beirut. The new spacious Voice of Prophecy office was placed under the direction of a new staff consisting of Philip Srour, Director, Michael Katreeb and Nawal Estephan in charge of the Arabic lessons, and Haigouhy Keushguerian Delice responsible for the Armenian lessons. When Philip Srour was transferred to the Middle East Union Michael Katreeb became the director of the Voice of Prophecy.

In order to widen the outreach of the Voice of Prophecy, health courses in Arabic and Armenian were added. It is worth noting that the Voice of Prophecy in Lebanon had a good number of enrollees from various Arab countries in the Middle East. One of the highlights of Voice of Prophecy were the graduation ceremonies in which enrollees who had completed the courses received their certificates. These were thrilling occasions.

During its 28 years of existence (1948-1976) the VOP served as an efficient agency through which the saving seeds of God's word were sown in the hearts of thousands of people. Only eternity will reveal the blessings that resulted from this agency. The school closed down in 1976 due to lack of proper promotion and funding. It is hoped that the East Mediterranean Field leadership will give due consideration to reviving this unique means of proclaiming God's glorious message.

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The physiotherapy clinic staff right to left: Leif Jensen, Mrs. Jensen, sister Abdel Malek, Ayoub Azar

The physiotherapy clinic on the second floor of the Beirut Adventist Center, Hotel Dieu street, Beirut

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ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

Aimed at Expanding the Mission Outreach of the Church

5 7)

The period from 1947 to 1981 was marked by several additional developments aimed at expanding the mission outreach of the church in Lebanon. These developments were:

In 1947, when Middle East College was functioning in Beit Mery, a six-grade school was begun there under the care of Elias Yousef and Mary Nassimian (Bitar). The school proved to be a blessing to many non-Adventist children who learned the Bible truths and participated in the Missionary Volunteer Progressive classes.

In 1948, Pastor W. E. Olson opened a school with 60 students at Chekka, North Lebanon, but it was short lived.

In the early years of 1950's attempts were made to carry the Advent Message to South Lebanon. In harmony with this plan Pastor Moussa Ghazal, a Lebanese graduate of Middle East College, was sent to Marjayoun. Similarly, Pastor Daniel V. Kubrock (from USA) was commissioned to evangelize the Sidon area. After sowing the seeds of truth in the region for a short while, both of these ministers were transferred to North Lebanon to develop the work there.

A physiotherapy clinic, located on the second floor of the Adventist Cultural Center in Hotel Dieu Street, Ashrafieh, Beirut, functioned during the decade from 1958 to 1968. The purpose of the physiotherapy clinic was to augment the evangelistic program of the church through the health work which is known as "the Right Arm of the Message." The staff of the physiotherapy clinic consisted of Leif Jensen (Dane, Director), Mrs. Leif Jensen, Ayoub Azar, sister Abdel-Malak, and Serpouhy Maksoudian.

In 1969, the East Mediterranean Field launched another evangelistic project with the purpose of taking the Three Angels' Messages

to Bekfaya, a famous town in the mountainous district of Math. Pastor Jerald Whitehouse (from USA) accepted the challenge to carry out this project. A place of worship was rented there where he and his team held weekly meetings. Their faithful efforts, blessed by Heaven, produced a couple of baptisms. In his work Pastor Whitehouse was assisted by his dedicated wife, Adel Kamal (a resident of Bekfaya), national ministers, and students and expatriate workers from Middle East College. After Pastor Whitehouse departed from Lebanon in June 1973, the Bekfaya project continued until 1975 as a result of which the light of truth was spread in the Math district of Lebanon.

Zahle, the capital city of the famous Bekaa Valley, was also targeted for evangelism. In 1975, Pastor Nathan Daoud (Egyptian) was given the responsibility to preach the message in that new region. He carried on his evangelistic activities in a rented apartment which was used as a church. Several national and expatriate workers assisted him in his work. Among them was Elder Borge Schantz, the President of the East Mediterranean Field, who conducted an evangelistic effort in the church. Our youth also supported the church's program through canvassing work. Their efforts were productive, and a company of believers were organized there. But the evangelistic thrust of the church in Zahle was interrupted in 1981 when the church pastor left the area, and another qualified minister was not available to take his place.

It is God's plan that His church should take aggressive steps to carry the message into un-entered territories in Lebanon. Relying on our past experiences, we believe that the successful implementation of this worthy plan demands teamwork - expatriate and national ministers working together.

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Elder Anees Haddad, Director of the former East Mediterranean Union M.V. Department, introduced into the Middle East the plan of holding summer camps for Adventist young people.

The first Master Guide Leaders' Training Camp (MGLTC I) held in Maaser, Shouf, 1953.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST YOUTH IN LEBANON

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From its very beginning the Seventh-day Adventist church in Lebanon, like its sister churches around the world, has had a special care for its youth. It has given due attention to its young people by providing various facilities aimed at meeting their physical, mental and spiritual needs.

One of these facilities was the organization of the Young People's Society called Missionary Volunteer's Society (M. V. Society) whose objective was to train the youth to strengthen the church and to work for the salvation other youth.

Each organized local church had an M. V. Society. The main activities of the M. V. Society were holding regular meetings for youth, following the Morning Watch, the Bible Year, and the M. V. Reading Course, participating in witnessing programs, wholesome activities and taking part in Progressive Class work. Every year the M. V. Societies in our churches and schools conducted Investiture Services in which hundreds of Adventist and other children and students received beautiful emblems and pins for completing the Progressive Class requirements.

In 1948-1949 the College Park Church had a very active M. V. Society with a Master Guide Club consisting of a large group of Adventist Workers and young people who had been invested as Master Guides.

The youth work was enriched when Elder Anees A. Haddad, Director of the Youth

Department of the East Mediterranean Union (under the presidency of Eder R. H. Hartwell), introduced into the Field the plan of holding summer camps for Adventist young people. In 1953, under his leadership a Master Guide Leaders' Training Camp was held in Maaser, Shouf. All Master Guides in Lebanon -expatriate and indigenous - were invited to attend this historic training camp in which they were trained how to run summer camps for the youth of the church. Following this important event, Elder Haddad with a group of trained Master Guides conducted the first junior camp in Eshbeniyeh, Hammana, Lebanon. Since then many junior and senior camps have been held in Lebanon and in other Middle Eastern countries where we have established work. These summer training camps, conducted under dedicated and experienced youth leaders, have proved to be a source of blessings to our youth in building them up spiritually and leading them to Christ.

It is instructive to remember that the first Youth Department in the Lebanon-Syria Mission was organized in 1956.

We are deeply grateful to the Lord for the role our youth have played in building up His cause in Lebanon to date. In these last days God is calling them to lay their all on the divine altar of sacrifice that He may empower them to do a greater work for Him and share in the triumph of His message.

THE SIXTEEN YEAR LONG LEBANESE WAR (1975-1991)

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Jesus said to His church: "...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon passed through a time of awesome trouble. The trouble began on 1975 with the start of the civil war and went on for sixteen long years until 1991. The greatest damage caused by this outrageous war was neither the widespread physical destruction of property throughout the country nor the severe economic crisis that hit Lebanon, but the loss of thousands of human lives. The Seventh-day Adventist church also lost three of its workers: Krikor Yessayan, elder of the Armenian SDA church and book-binder of Middle East Press, Wajih Faddoul, translator of Middle East Press, and Khalil Abbas, the gateman of Middle East College.

Besides, this senseless war greatly hampered the progress of the church in Lebanon. Our school and church in Aramoun and the Ashrafieh Church were closed permanently. The Adventist Cultural Center in Ashrafieh, which was built in the "Green Line" sector in Beirut, the dividing line between the feuding parties, was terribly damaged. Weekly religious services at the Mouseitbeh and the Armenian Churches were discontinued. Many Adventist families immigrated to the U.S.A., and all expatriate workers serving at Middle East College, and the Middle East Union and the Afro-Mideast Division were evacuated for safety reasons. During this period the evangelistic outreach of the church was reduced to a minimum.

But in spite of all obstacles a group of dedicated national workers who had remained at their posts of duty, trusting in the Lord and claiming His heartening promises continued the work.

Thanks be to God that the sixteen year long war, the worse calamity in the history of Lebanon, came to an end in 1991. And

with the normalization of the situation throughout the country, God's remnant people were granted a new opportunity to renew their consecration to Jesus by fully surrendering themselves to Him that He may be the Master of their lives and enable them to fulfill their unique mission and commission.

The Beirut Adventist Center in Hotel Dieu street, Ashrafieh, was one of the several SDA buildings that was badly damaged during the Lebanese war.

)5a.11

COMM CELEBRATION Of

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CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF

DAY ANENTIST CNLIRCII IN LEBANON

CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

of the SDA Church in Lebanon (1897-1997)

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon joyfully celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 5 and 6, 1998. A centennial committee consisting of Manoug Nazirian (chairman), Jimmy Choufani (secretary), Levon Maksoudian, and Issa Obeid planned

and organized this unique event. The College Park Church (Middle East College) was the venue for this historical occasion. The entire SDA constituency in Lebanon as well as others from the Middle East Union, Europe, and the USA were invited to attend it.

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The centennial celebrations were marked by five highly edifying meetings. The opening meeting held on Friday, June 5, 1998 (7:00 P.M.), was devoted to a joint Communion Service in which all the SDA Churches in Lebanon and visitors from Cyprus, Europe, and the USA participated. Elder Sven Jensen presented the message for the hour, which was, entitled "Worthy is the Lamb." Other participants were: at the ordinance of foot washing: Danielle Phillips, Johnny Manassian, Svein Myklebust, Claude Lombart, Manuk Benzatyan (from USA), Venice Khoury; at the Lord's Supper: Claude Lombart, George Khoury, Elie Abourjiely, Kai Arasola; deacons and deaconesses: Jack Havatian, Fouad Khoury, Raffik Keshishzadeh, Martin Modi, Faiza Asmar, Wadad Karam, Elizabeth Atamian, Ida Arasola, and Raja Farah (pianist). This sacred service, properly planned and conducted, brought encouragement and spiritual renewal to God's people in Lebanon.

On Sabbath, June 6, 1998 four meetings were held as follows:

1. Sabbath School (9:30 P.M.): Halim Chehadi served as Sabbath School superintendent. The various features of the Sabbath School program were presented by Raffy Manassian, Fawzi Deeb, Maria Lombart, Suhad Kharma, Elie Gibran, and Sylvia Kiraz (pianist). The Sabbath School teachers were: William Olson, Elie Abourjiely, Elie Wehbe, Aram Matta, Raffik Keshishzadeh, Rein Muhlberg, Jimmy Choufani, Valerie Fidelia, Ida Arasola, and Ibtissam Abdalla. This was a special Sabbath School in that the entire SDA Church in Lebanon was at study.

Following the Sabbath School the Mousietbeh Church conducted an inspiring baptismal service at the baptismal pool on the college campus. Tony and Samira Hallak were baptized into the Advent family in Lebanon. The officiating ministers were Rein Muhlberg and Elie Wehbe.

Divine Service (11:30 A.M.): Dr. Baldur Pfeiffer, who represented the European SDA Church at the centennial celebrations, preached the Sabbath morning sermon entitled "Responsibility to Build". Other workers who took part in this divine service were Housni Kolta, Claude Lombart, Levon Maksoudian, Roland Fidelia, Steven Manougian, Mana Manougian (pianist, lay member), Raja Farah (pianist), and Nabil Mansour (translator). A special offering of LL. 30,000 per family was collected in order to finance the printing of an Arabic hymnbook. This church service provided a unique hour of inspiration and Christian fellowship for the SDA community in Lebanon.

After the divine service, all those present were invited to a special centennial meal in the college cafeteria. The East Mediterranean Field and the SDA churches in Lebanon shared in the expense of the food. This was a kind of love feast reminiscent of the fellowship meals Christ's followers used to have in the apostolic times.

Special Centennial Celebration (5:00 P.M.): This particular meeting was held on the college lawn and was attended by 300 Adventists and non-Adventists. Those who took part and made appropriate speeches

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were George Khoury, Svein Myklebust, Claude Lombart, Manoug Nazirian, Salim Sahiouny (President of Evangelical Community in Syria & Lebanon), Baldur Pfeiffer, Sven Jensen, Nabil Mansour, Mana Manougian (pianist). The SDA choir "ALIVE", under Michael Sidawi's conductorship, enriched the meeting with two uplifting songs. In this centennial celebration decided emphasis was placed upon the worthy contributions the SDA Church has made to Lebanon in the fields of education, literature, health and temperance, and welfare.

This centennial celebration was followed by a reception on the college lawn.

4. Youth Meeting with Torches (7:30 P.M.): This was a unique youth meeting conducted under Jimmy Choufani's leadership. It was designed to challenge our youth to accept the responsibility of finishing the proclamation of the gospel message in Lebanon. Claude Lombart gave the address entitled, "The Challenge of an Unfinished Task". Other

contributors were Manuk Benzatyan (song service), Raja Farah (vibra-harp solo), and Lydia Lombart (pianist). Five senior workers, Faiza Asmar, Aida Farah, George Khoury, Baldur Pfeiffer, and Manoug Nazirian representing the pioneers, carried the lighted torches (symbols of truth) and passed them on to five young people, Suzan Dallal, Mirna Karam, Pascal Chahine, Steven Manougian, and Bell Yessayan. George Khoury appealed to them to accept and continue carrying these torches until the gospel work is finished. Then a solemn ceremony of candle lighting took place indicating the willingness of our young people to share the light of truth with others. This inspiring youth meeting ended with a deepfelt consecration prayer offered by Elder William Olson.

This historical centennial celebration, under God's blessing, was an occasion of inspiration, fellowship, spiritual renewal, and commitment to taking the Great Commission to the ancient Biblical land of Lebanon.

63

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OUR DIVINE MISSION AND COMMISSION

Our divine mission and commission is TO PREACH THE GOSPEL to all the world with the purpose of preparing humankind for the second coming of Jesus Christ. This is the most awesome responsibility ever committed to the church.

The pioneers of the Seventh-day Adventist Church addressed themselves to this responsibility with their God given resources and accomplished enduring achievements by building the church upon a solid foundation.

In comparison, we as their successors, have many advantages over them. Just consider the facilities the Seventh-day Adventist Church has today. In the light of this, God's people and especially the Adventist Youth must readily accept the

challenge to continue the good work our pioneers began and to bring it to completion.

In harmony with Christ's declaration recorded in Matthew 24:14 the messenger of the Lord bequeathed to His Church this reassuring message: "During the loud cry, the church, aided by the providential interpositions of her exalted Lord, will diffuse the knowledge of salvation so abundantly that light will be communicated to every city and town. The earth will be filled with the knowledge of salvation. So abundantly will the renewing Spirit of God have crowned with success the intensely active agencies, that the light of present truth will be flushing everywhere" (Review and Herald, Oct. 13, 1904).

May God help us to hasten this glorious day.

Second coming of Jesus

69

PRESIDENTS OF THE EAST MEDITERRANEAN FIELD

In Chronological Order (1909-1997)

Walter K. Ising 1909-1914, 1930-1937

Henry Erzberger 1915-1917

Nils Zerne 1923-1929

George Keough 1938-1942

E. L. Branson 1943-1946, 1949-1950

B. J. Mondics 1947-1948

R. H. Hartwell 1952-1955

Salim Noujaim 1959-1961

Harry Robinson 1962-1963

George Khoury 1963-1967

Chafic Srour 1967-1971

R. D. Pifer 1971-1974

Borge Schantz 1974-1976

Manoug Nazirian 1977-1983

Basim Aziz 1985-1988

Samir Chahine 1988-1990

Roland Fidelia 1992-1996

Claude Lombart 1996 to present time

Note: In addition to the above-mentioned leaders the following. eople directed the affairs of the East Mediterranean Field:

W. E. Olson (Acting President) 1956-1958

T. S. Staples (Chairman, EMF Committee) 1983

Gerry Karst (Chairman, EMF Committee) 1983-1984

R. Thompson (Acting President) 1991-1992

Svein Johansen (Chairman, EMF Committee) 1993

George Keough 1938-1942

B.J. Mondics 1947-1948

70

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Walter K. Ising 1909-1914, 1930-1937

Nils Zerne 1923-1929

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Henry Erzberger 1915-1917

E.L. Branson 1943-1946,1949-1950

71

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George Khoury 1963-1967

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Chafic Srour 1967-1971

72

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Borge Schantz 1974-1976

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Roland Fidelia 1992-1996

ill II VW Claude Lombart

1996- to present time

Manoug Nazirian 1977-1983

Samir Chahine 1988-1990

SECRETARY-TREASURERS OF THE EAST MEDITERRANEAN FIELD

In Chronological Order (1909 - 1997)32

No secretary-treasurer (Formative years) 1909-1912

L. Krug (Secretary) 1913-1917

No secretary-treasurer (Period after World War I) 1918-1931

E. Maier 1932-1940

No secretary-treasurer 1941

A. G. Rogers 1942-1943

C. H. Mackett 1944-1945

Khalil Yared (Secretary) 1945-1947

C. H. Mackett (Treasurer) 1945-1947

A. B. King 1948-1949

E. S. Cubley 1950

A. B. King 1951

George B. Yared 1952-1961

T. S. Hasbani 1962-1963

George B. Yared 1963-1968

Minas Meguerditchian 1969-1971

George B. Yared 1972-1974

Leon Thomasian 1975-1977

Husni Kolta (Assistant secretary-treasurer) 1978-1983

Husni Kolta 1983-1992

Samaan Ghali 1992-1996

Husni Kolta 1996 to present time

73

M E M O R IE s

Central European Division (Section Two) Council held in Cairo, Egypt, February, 1939. From left: Row I (seated), Wilhelm Lesovski(1), George Keough (5), E.L. Branson (9). Row II (standing), Shukry Nowfel (6), Maurice Grin (8), Ibrahim El-Khalil (9), Mrs. El-Khalil (11), Arthur Kneough (14), Mrs. Branson (21).

74

Walter K. Ising and Ibrahim El-Khalil

Wilhelm and Charlotte Lesovski, pioneer missionaries to Lebanon and Syria

75

Pole jumper at Middle East College became a gospel minister in Lebanon (1948).

First graduates of Middle East College High School, 1946, Beit Mery. From right, Row I: Mousa Ghazal (1), Manoug Nazirian (3), Sara Ghazal (6), Fares Bishai (11). Row II: Sella Maksoudian Nazirian (3), Angel Der Housiguian Manassian (11). These graduates became workers in Lebanon.

Arabic elementary church school operated by Middle East College. The branch Sabbath School that was organized in the Assyrian Camp at the bottom of the Sabtiye Hill was transferred to this building in 1956. Later this school building was enlarged by new additions to accomodate the headquarters of the Middle East Union and the East Mediterranean Field.

Lebanon - Iraq youth camp at Baskinta, August 23 to September 7, 1963

76

Andrews University Extension School, July 9 to August 20, 1961, Beirut, Lebanon. Thirty-six of these expatriate and nationl workers served in Lebanon.

Can you identify them?

Delegates including workers from Lebanon represented the Middle East Division at the 1966 General Conference Session held in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.

77

Quadrennial Council representatives The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Middle East Division, Broumana, Lebanon, November 10-13, 1967

Members of the various Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the Beirut area constituted this large work force of the

Middle East Press (1963).

RC lDQUARTERH' OF TM

SEVENTH DAYADVENTIST CHURCH WIAHONa dORDAN

78

East Mediterranean Field headquarters, Sabtiye, Boucherieh, Beirut

The children's choir of the College Park Church visits a patient as a part of the lay activities band work in the hospital (1970).

Adventist youth retreat, Bekfaya, 1994

Key to Abbreviations of Names of Seventh-day Adventist Churches, Organizations, and Institutions Referred to in the Directory of Employees.

AAS Aramoun Adventist School

AMD Afro-Mideast Division

ASAC Aramoun Seventh-day Adventist Church

Arm AS Armenian Adventist School

Arm SAC Armenian Seventh-day Adventist Church

Ash SAC Ashrafieh Seventh-day Adventist Church

AUM Arabic Union Mission

BACS Beirut Adventist Church School

BASS Boucherieh Adventist Secondary School

Bish SAC Bishmezzine Seventh-day Adventist Church

Bish AS Bishmezzine Adventist School

BSAC Boucherieh Seventh-day Adventist Church

CPC College Park Church

EMF East Mediterranean Field

EMU East Mediterranean Union

ESAM European Seventh-day Adventist Mission

LS Lebanon Section

LSM Lebanon-Syria Mission

LSS Lebanon-Syria Section

MASS Mouseitbeh Adventist Secondary School

MSAC Mouseitbeh Seventh-day Adventist Church

MEC Middle East College

MED Middle East Division

MEFTT Muslim Evangelism Forward Thrust Team

MEP Middle East Press

MEU Middle East Union

PC Physiotherapy Clinic

SEM Syrian-Egyptian Mission

SM Syrian Mission

VOP Voice of Prophecy

79

80

DIRECTORY OF EMPLOYEES

The following is a directory of indigenous and expatriate employees who have served in various capacities in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its institutions in Lebanon from 1897-1997.

Heartfelt appreciation is due to each of them for the contribution he/she has made to God's cause in Lebanon.

The dates recorded in this directory of employees indicate the time employees began to serve in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Lebanon in any capacity and not the time they entered denominational work.

Names of Employees Date of Initial Service

A. B. King 1948 A. E. Lind 1970 A. G. Rodgers 1942 A. H. Brandt 1970 A. J. Jones 1952 A. R. Mazat 1951 A. W. Fund 1953 Abdallah Jeha 1983 Abdallah Makhoul 1979 Abdel-Massih Khamsmieh 1955 Abed Doweis 1997 Abraham La Rue 1897 Abraham Mazloumian 1945 Acaby Bedelian 1932 Adeeb Fargo 1949 Adeeb Kamal 1978 Adel Aboujawda 1965

Adel Kamal 1977 Adrene Azadian 1974 Afif Jeha 1961 Ahad Samaan 1966 Aida Farah 1941

Alfred Akar 1954 Alice Elmadjian 1964 Alice Iwaz 1982 Alice Majeed 1970 Allan Philips 1996 Amir Ghali 1990 Anahid Barsoumian 1961 Anahid Benzatyan 1970 Anahid Murdesemjian 1957

Type of Work Performed

Secretary-treasurer, LSM President, AMD Treasurer, SM Lay Activities, Youth Director, AMD Treasurer, MEC VOP Director, MED Treasurer, EMU Teacher, MEC Credentialed Literature Evangelist Teacher, AAS and MASS, Bible Instructor Publishing Director, EMF Self-supporting pioneer colporteur to China Licensed Minister, Arm SAC Missionary Liscentiate, SM Licensed minister, Principal, MASS Licensed Literature Evangelist Teacher and Principal, AAS, Acting Principal, Bish AS Credentialed Literature Evangelist Secretary, MEC Teacher, MASS, AAS, Bish AS Teacher, MEC Credentialed teacher, MASS, BASS, Credentialed Bible Worker, Lebanon Principal, Bish AS, AAS Teacher, Arm AS Teacher, MASS Credentialed teacher, BASS Elder, CPC, Head of English Dept., MEC Teacher, BACS Teacher, Arm AS Office Secretary, MEU Teacher, Arm AS

81

Anahid Ohannessian Andrew Barr Anees A. Haddad

Aneesi Nakhle Angel Manassian Angel Yessayan Angely Gayed Annette Leatherman Annig Maksoudian Antoine Jabbour Antranig Avakian Anwar Ayoubi Ara Yerganian Aram Aghassian Aram Ashod Araxy Tcherkezian Armond Manassian Arthur Keough Arthur Keough (Mrs.) Arthur Moyer Awada Abd-Elshadid Ayoub Azar

1979 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS, BASS

1926 Missionary Licentiate, SM

1956 Youth and Sabbath School Director, EMU, LSM, Pastor, MSAC, Youth, Sabbath School, Temperance Director, MED

1974 Teacher, MEC 1951 Credentialed teacher, MASS, Arm AS, MEC

1987 Bible Worker, Arm SAC

1972 Pastor, BSAC, EMF Committee member

1983 Teacher, MEC 1965 Teacher, Arm AS 1960 Teacher, MEC 1956 Teacher, Arm AS 1966 Teacher, MASS 1972 Maintenance Worker, gateman, MEC

1946 Lay Activities Director, LSS, Pastor, Arm SAC

1951 Licensed Minister, MEP Translator

1973 Teacher, Arm AS

1985 Teacher, Head of Business Department, MEC

1939 President, MEC, CPC Pastor

1939 Wife of Arthur Keough 1976 Pastor, CPC 1909 SEM, Committee Member

1963 PC worker

B. Baldwin Baldur Pfeiffer Basim Aziz Bassam Asmar Bassam Karam Bedros Kolian Bekele Heye Benjamil Rahail Benjamin J. Mondics Bert Gilleroth Bertram Chan Beverly Roth Bonavee Eichner Borge Shantz

Boutros Ghazal

Bruce O'neil B.J. Mondics (Mrs.)

1978 Secretary of Instructional Services, MEC

1966 Teacher, MEC, Head of History Department, MEC

1985 President, EMF 1996 Assistant Accountant, MEU

1968 Credentialed teacher, Assistant Principal, BASS

1970 Teacher, Arm AS 1970 Sabbath School Director, AMD

1974 Teacher, Arm AS 1947 President, SM

1966 Pastor, CPC 1972 Teacher, MEC 1983 Teacher, MEC 1983 Teacher, MEC

1977 President, EMF, Youth and Lay Activities

Director, AMD 1977 Lebanon Legal Association Committee member,

MEP treasurer

1974 Teacher, MEC

1947 Teacher, MEC

82

1956 Secretary-treasurer, MED 1976 President, AMD 1976 Wife of C. D. Watson 1967 Treasurer, AMD 1944 Secretary-treasurer, SM 1963 Radio and Sabbath Director, MED 1983 Teacher, MEC 1996 Teacher, Bish AS, MASS 1967 Teacher, MEC 1991 Teacher, Church Elder, MEC 1955 Interim President, MEC 1936 Teacher, MASS, President, LS 1967 Wife of Chafic Srour 1974 Music Teacher, MEC 1929 Teacher, MASS 1971 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS 1996 EMF President, CPC Pastor,

EMF Stewardship & Global Mission Director 1963 Teacher, Bish AS 1980 Youth Director, EMF, Youth, S School, Lay

Activities Director, MEU

C. C. Norris C. D. Watson C. D. Watson (Mrs.) C. E. Schmidt C. H. Mackett C. V. Brauer Carmelita Troy Carol Issa Caroline Russell Cecil David Cecil L. Gemmell Chafic Srour Chafic Srour (Mrs.) Charlotte Conway Charlotte Lesovsky Christina Nazirian Claude Lombart

Costy Sawada Craig Newborn

D. K. Bazara

D. L. Chappell Dale Hepker Dalal Aziz Dalton Baldwin Danielle Philips Daniel V. Kubrock David Zavas Dean 0. McDaniel Diana Atamian Dikran Der Housikian Dirouhy Garabedian Doly D. Jeha Don Leatherman Donald 0. Eichner Dorothy Oster Dorothy Winslow Dorris Moris Dean McDaniel (Mrs.) Dwight Rose Dwight Rose (Mrs.)

1970 Field Secretary Stewardship and Development Secretary, AMD

1964 Publishing Director, MED 1966 Teacher, Dean of Men, MEC 1985 Bible Teacher, Amman Adventist School 1978 Teacher, MEC 1996 Deaconess, CPC, Secretary to President, MEC 1954 Pastor, Bish SAC 1983 Teacher, MEC 1973 Evangelist, Lebanon 1991 Teacher, MEC 1932 Missionary Licentiate, SM, Pastor, ARM SAC 1961 Teacher, Arm AS 1980 Teacher, Bish AS 1983 Teacher, MEC 1980 President, MEC, EMF Committee member 1972 Music Teacher, MEC 1949 Librarian, MEC 1966 Teacher, MEC 1973 Wife of Dean McDaniel 1978 Principal, Beirut Overseas School 1978 Teacher, Beirut Overseas School

83

E. D. Mc Ghee E. G. Gregg E. L. Branson E. L. Branson (Mrs.) E. L. Gammon (Mrs.) E. S. Cubley E. W. Pedersen Earnest Runge Earnest W. Waring Ed D. Gammon Edith Davis Edmond Haddad

Edward Boghbadian Edward Skoretz Eileen Manassian Ghali Elias Asmar

Elias Choufani

Elias Estephan Elias Hanna Youssif

Elias Jeha

Elias Zarub Elias Zein Elie Abourejaili

Elie Jibran Elie Wehbe

Ella Haddad Ellen Ghazal Khoury Ellen Raffoul Ellen Sarkis Emile Tabanji Erna Kruger Esther Ghazal Katrib Euphemia M. Bryne Eva Villagomez Evelyn Dikran Evelyn Hamer Evelyn Ibrahim

1958 Teacher, MEC 1978 Secretary-treasurer, AMD 1943 President, SM, MEU 1943 Wife of E.L. Branson, Teacher, MEC 1960 Teacher, MEC 1950 Secretary-treasurer, SM, MEU 1975 President, AMD 1974 Superintendent, Land and Development, MEC 1959 Teacher, Dean of Men, MEC 1960 President, MEC, Pastor, CPC 1948 Education Secretary, LSS, Teacher MEC 1966 Teacher, Academic Dean, President, MEC,

MEC,Executive Committee Member, EMF 1963 Teacher, Arm AS 1972 Teacher, MEC, Pastor, CPC 1988 Teacher, BASS 1962 Press Worker, Lebanon Legal Association

Committee member, Acting Manager, MEP 1985 Credentialed Teacher, Associate Principal,

MASS 1960 Licensed minister, Beirut Publishing Director, LS 1947 Teacher, Beit-Mery Elementary School, MASS,

Principal, AAS 1956 Credentialed teacher, MASS, Arm AS, Principal,

Bish AS and AAS 1903 Licensed minister, SM 1957 Teacher, MASS 1984 Lebanon Legal Association Committee member

Church Elder, BSAC 1991 Teacher, MASS 1979 Teacher, MASS, Pastor, MSAC, Lebanon Legal

Association Secretary 1966 Teacher, MEC 1963 Licensed Bible Worker, LS 1970 Credentialed teacher, MASS, BASS, Bish AS 1966 Teacher, Bish AS 1964 VOP Worker, Teacher, MASS 1949 Acting Dean of Women, MEC 1951 VOP Worker, Credentialed teacher, BASS 1957 Teacher, MEC 1993 Teacher, Head Deaconess, MEC 1939 Credentialed teacher, MASS, Arm AS 1969 Teacher, MEC 1976 Secretary, BASS

84

F. C. Webster F. C. Webster (Mrs.) Frederick G. Harder Frederick G. Harder (Mrs.) F. Gregorius Fadia Farag Fady Ghafary Faiza Asmar Farid Khoury Faris B. Bishai Faris Daw Fawzia Ghali Fawzi Deeb

Fida Jeha Ferial Choufani Fida Abdel-Karim Francis Saliba Fred Veltman Fouad Ashkar Fuad Nowfel F. Gregorius (Mrs.)

1967 President, MED 1967 Wife of F.C. Webster 1946 President, MEC 1946 Wife of Frederick G. Harder, teacher, MEC 1908 Missionary Licentiate, SM 1983 Colporteur Trainer, Lebanon 1994 Pastor, Bish SAC, Assistant Pastor, BSAC 1956 Credentialed Teacher, MASS, BASS 1990 Teacher, BASS, Teacher, MEC 1951 Licensed minister, Bish SAC 1945 Executive Committee member, SM 1983 Dorcas Leader, CPC, English Teacher, MEC 1960 Teacher, AAS, MASS, Arm AS, Principal, AAS,

Bish AS 1991 Teacher, MASS, Bish AS 1994 Teacher, MASS 1961 Teacher, AAS 1992 Health & Temperance Director, EMF 1956 Pastor, CPC 1977 Bible teacher, MASS, Editor, MEP 1961 Principal, Bish AS 1908 Missionary Licentiate, SM

G. Fargo G. Fargo (Mrs.) G. J. Appel G. J. Appel (Mrs.) G. M. Krick

G. M. Krick (Mrs.) Gabriel Bejjani Gabriel Katrib Gaby Melki Gaby Shamoun Garbis Bedelian Garo Baghchejian Gary Fresk Gary Gene Johnson George A. Khoury

George Asmar George Esber

George Ghazal

1952 Dean of Men„ MEC 1952 Teacher, MEC 1951 President, MED 1951 Wife of G. J. Appel 1941 Executive Committee member, SM, President,

MEC, Pastor, CPC 1952 Nursing Service, MEC 1978 Licensed minister, Bikfaya, Aramoun 1971 Pastor, Bish SAC 1979 Teacher, BASS, Arm AS, MEC 1983 Literature Evangelist, Lebanon 1955 Arm SAC Elder, mailman, janitor, MED, AMD 1948 Executive Committee member, SM 1971 Teacher, MEC 1969 Teacher, MEC 1966 Principal, AAS, Treasurer, Business Manager,

MEC 1996 Teacher, BASS, MASS 1949 Credentialed teacher, MASS, Bish AS Principal,

AAS 1965 Business Manager, MEC, Cashier, MEU

85

George Issa

George Keough George Keough (Mrs.) George Khoury

George Manougian

George Marinakis George Moujabbar George Raffoul

George Shahine George T. Gott George Terzibashian 'George Yared Georgette Estephan Gerry Karst Gladys Kubrock (Mrs.)

H. D. Bresee H. D. Bresee (Mrs.) H. E. Robinson H. N. Sheffield H. S. Holser H. S. Johnson Habib Rai Hagop Keushguerian Hagop Manougian

Haifa Abou Jawdeh

Haifa Srour Haigouhy Keushguerian

Halim Salloum Halim Shehadi

Hamad Obeid Hamzik Keshishzadeh Hana Abboud Hana Nasr Jubran Hanan Obeid Hanna Kebbas

1954 Principal, Bish AS, Teacher, MASS Bible Instructor, Registrar, MEC

1941 President, SM, AUM, VOP Director 1941 Wife of George Keough 1960 Pastor, MSAC, President, LS, Lebanon Legal

Association President, MEU Evangelist, Ministerial Association and Personal Ministries Director, EMF

1974 Superintendent, Maintenance and College Wood Products

1982 Teacher, MASS, Arm AS 1955 Teacher, MASS 1951 Pastor, Bish SAC, ASAC, MSAC, Ash SAC,

Lebanon Legal Association Committee member 1954 Teacher, MASS 1957 Teacher, Business Manager, MEC 1974 Teacher, MEC 1948 Secretary-treasurer, LSM 1963 Teacher, Bish AS, MASS 1983 President, MEU 1954 Wife of Daniel Kubrock

1968 Adventist Center Director 1968 Wife of H. D. Bresee 1961 Evangelist, Beirut, President, LS 1971 Medical and Temperance Secretary, AMD 1898 Director, Central European Conference 1961 CPC Pastor 1968 Teacher, Assistant Principal, MASS 1953 Teacher, MASS, Principal, Arm AS 1996 Assistant Treasurer, CPC, Maintenance worker,

MEC 1957 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS, Principal, Bish

AS, Teacher, MEC 1947 Teacher, MASS 1945 Teacher, MASS, Principal, Arm AS, VOP

Worker 1982 Teacher, MASS 1996 Assistant Sabbath School Director, EMF Lebanon

Legal Association Treasurer 1932 Pioneer Literature Evangelist, itinerant preacher 1991 Pastor, CPC, Teacher, MEC 1973 Teacher, Assistant Registrar 1930 Principal, MASS 1983 Teacher, Arm AS, BAGS, Accountant, EMF 1971 Licensed minister, Lebanon

86

Hanneh Katrib Harold Zinner Hasmig Azadian Hasmig Varjabedian Hayat Bejjani Heba Malaka Henry Erzberger Henry Jeha Henry Melki Herbert H. Faiman Hilal Doss Hosanna Ayoub Hovhanness Maksoudian Hovig Sarrafian Hugh Cowles Husni Kolta Robinson (Mrs.)

1974 Teacher, Bish AS 1978 Teacher, MEC 1977 Teacher, Arm AS 1956 Teacher, Arm AS 1967 Teacher, MASS 1997 Cashier, BASS 1915 Director, SM 1956 Teacher, MEC, Principal, AAS 1957 Teacher, MEC, Publishing Director, EMU 1966 Teacher, Bakery Manager, MEC 1952 Teacher, MEC 1963 Teacher, Arm AS, PC Worker 1963 Janitor, Arm AS, gateman, AMD 1979 Teacher, MEC 1973 Principal, MASS, ARM AAS, Teacher, MEC 1971 Accountant, LS, Secretary-treasurer, EMF 1961 Wife of H. E. Robinson

I. Paul I. Touchard Ibrahim El-Khalil Ibrahim Ghazal Ibrahim Hanna Ibrahim Kasem Ibrahim Maamary

Ibrahim Swaidan Ibtisam Jbara Ida Arasola

Ignatius Yacoub

Iman Gergis Indra Ashod Ingeborn Bjerkan Issa H. Obeid

Issa Jbara Issa Kharma

Issa Sawma

1978 Secretary to the President 1978 Dean of Women 1918 Pioneer Ordained minister 1947 Executive Committee member, SM 1959 Teacher, MEC 1971 Janitor, MASS 1962 Credentialed Teacher, AAS, MASS, Arm AS,

Teacher, gateman, MEC 1952 Teacher, MEC 1991 Teacher, BASS 1996 Teacher, Children's Sabbath School, CPC,

Matron, MEC 1972 Executive Committee Member, Education

Director, EMF, Academic Dean, MEC, Public Relations and Religious Liberty Director, AMD

1977 Teacher, MASS 1957 Teacher, MEC 1971 Teacher, MEC 1969 Teacher, BASS. Public Relations Director, LS,

Lebanon Legal Association Secretary, Principal, BASS

1971 Janitor, BASS 1957 Teacher, MASS, Education Director, EMF,

Principal, Bish AS, BASS & MASS, Lebanon Legal Association Secretary, Public Relations & Religious Liberty Director, EMF

1957 Janitor, MASS, Ash SAC, VOP

87

Jerald W. Whitehouse J. H. Krum J. S. Russell Jabbour Semaan

Jack Barakat Jack Bohannon Jack Mahon

Jacob Havatian Jad Katrib

Jalal Doss James Kilmer James Segar James Stephen Jamila Sarkis Jamily Nicola Jean Atamian Jeanette Balta Jeanette Issa Jerry Lewis

Jimmy Choufani

Jirair Kourouyan Joanne Elmadgian Johan B. Storfjell John Bedelian Johnny Issa Johnny Manassian

Jon Green Joseph Estephan

Joseph Khoury

Joseph Mansour

Josephine Abou-Haidar Josephine Khoury Juanito Villagomez

Judith Storfjell

1971 Pastor, Bikfaya Company 1903 Literature evangelist, Preacher 1947 Pastor, CPC, Dean of Men and Teacher, MEC 1953 Associate Secretary of Medical Department,

MED, Licensed minister, Lebanon, Editor, MEP 1957 Teacher, MASS 1970 MEFTT member, Teacher, MEC 1975 Health and Temperance Director, MEU,

Communication and Temperance Director, AMD 1991 Supervisor, MASS 1961 Principal, MASS, BASS, Education Director, LS,

Teacher, MEC 1974 Ministerial intern, Lebanon, Pastor, ASAC 1978 Teacher, MEC 1969 Teacher, MEC 1967 Teacher, MEC 1974 Superintendent, College Laundry 1991 Teacher, MASS 1997 Teacher, MASS 1962 Teacher, MASS 1953 Credentialed teacher, MASS 1991 Global Mission, ADRA-Middle East Director,

MEU 1984 Teacher MASS, ADRA Director, Communication

Director, Youth Director, EMF, MEU 1966 Teacher, MASS, Principal, Arm AS 1991 Administrative Secretary, MEU 1971 Teacher, MEC 1952 Licensed minister, Beirut 1991 Principal Bish AS, Assistant Principal, BASS 1979 Teacher, Dean of Men, Academic Dean, MEC,

CPC Pastor, Principal, MASS, Bish AS, Education Director, EMF, MEU

1978 Chaplain, MEC Pastor, CPC 1974 President, Teacher, MEC, Lebanon Legal

Association Committee Member, Education Director, AMD

1967 Education Director, LS, Head of Education Department MEC

1962 Credentialed teacher, MASS, Arm AS, Principal, AAS, Bish AS

1958 Teacher, BACS 1964 Credentialed teacher, AAS, BASS 1993 President, MEC, Executive Committee member;

EMF 1979 Teacher, MEC

88

Juliette Saliba

1963 Teacher, MASS June Soper

1957 Music Teacher, MEC Justin Hamer

1969 Teacher, MEC J. W. Whitehouse (Mrs.)

1971 Wife of J. W. Whitehouse

Kai Arasola Kameel Haddad

Kamel Adeeb Kamly Meguerditchian Karen Blinci Karen Staples Kenneth L. Vine Kenneth L. Vine (Mrs.) Kenneth Oster Khachatourian (Mrs.) Khalil Yared Khatoum D. Wehbe Knarig Maksoudian Kozet Meguerditchian

1996 Elder, CPC, Academic Dean, MEC 1996 EMF Committee Member, Pastor Amman SDA

Church 1978 Licensed Literature Evangelist, Lebanon 1964 Office Secretary, LS, MED 1973 Teacher, MEC 1976 Teacher, Beirut Overseas School 1955 President, Teacher, MEC, CPC Pastor 1955 Wife of Kenneth L. Vine, teacher, MEC 1961 Pastor, CPC, MEFTT Member 1915 Credentialed Missionary, SM 1945 Treasurer, SM 1983 Teacher, MASS 1958 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS 1976 Teacher, Arm AS

L. C. Miller

L. Krug L. R. Conradi L. S. Tabingo Laila Aboujawda Laila Tabanji Larry Siemens Laura Abdel-Karim Laurence Sidawi Laurice Abboud Laurice Bishai Laurice H. Bishara Laurice Yacoub Lawrence E. Hanson Leif Jensen Leon D. Thomassian Leslie Norris Levon Maksoudian

Leif Jensen (Mrs.) Lloyd Nolin

1968 Ministerial Radio - TV and Sabbath School Secretary, MED

1913 SM Secretary 1901 President, ESAM 1983 Secretary to Registrar, Cashier, MEC 1969 Teacher, MASS 1966 Credentialed teacher, MASS, AAS 1978 Teacher, MEC 1977 Teacher, BASS, MASS 1976 Credentialed teacher, MASS, BACS 1955 Teacher, MASS 1964 Teacher, Bish AS, MASS 1974 Director of Food Services, MEC 1953 Principal, AAS, Teacher, MASS 1974 Teacher, MEC 1961 PC Director 1970 Accountant, Secretary-treasurer, LS 1946 Licensed minister, Beirut 1982 Pastor, Arm SAC, Health and Temperance

Director, Lebanon Legal Association Committee member, EMF secretary

1967 Teacher, MEC, PC Worker 1966 Maintenance Director, Teacher, MEC

Londa Schmidt Luisa Taer Lyda England Lydia Lombart

1972 Teacher, MEC 1996 Teacher, MEC 1979 Teacher, MEC 1996 Wife of Claude Lombart

89

M. E. Adams M. E. Lind M. E. Lind (Mrs.) M. T. Battle Malak Rai Manoug H. Nazirian

Manoushag Anserlian Manuk Benzatyan

Marie Chan Mark Kharma Marlene Gilleroth Maroun Khoury Martha Manassian Mary Azadian Mary Bitar Mary David Mary Farah Mary Ghazal Mary Haddad Mary Halabi Mary Havatian Mary Mansour Mary Nashed Mary Segar Mary Wehbe Maurice C. Grin Maurice Katrib

Michael Ghafary Michael Katrib Michael Kebbas Michael Nabti Michael Obeid Michael Oweijan Michael Sidawi Milad Abdel-Karim Milad Modad Mildred Olson (Mrs.)

1958 Teacher, MEC 1970 President, AMD 1970 Wife of M. E. Lind 1977 AMD Secretary, GC Associate Secretary 1990 Teacher, MASS 1952 Pastor, Arm SAC, Youth Director, LS Lebanon

Legal Association President, President, EMF, MEU, MEC

1968 Teacher, Arm AS 1972 Executive Committee member, EMF, MEFTT

member 1973 Teacher, MEC 1997 Supervisor, MASS 1966 Music Teacher, MEC 1968 Bible Worker, Lebanon 1995 Teacher, MASS 1963 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS 1948 Credentialed teacher, Principal, Arm AS 1991 Teacher, MEC, CPC pianist 1997 Teacher, MEC 1960 Office Sedcretary, LSM 1957 Teacher, Registrar MEC 1965 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS, BASS 1955 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS, MASS 1963 Teacher, AAS, MASS 1961 Teacher, MEC 1969 Teacher, MEC 1964 VOP Worker, Credentialed Teacher, Bish AS 1952 Pastor, Arm SAC, MEP Treasurer 1953 Evangelist, Pastor, MSAC, Ash SAC, Publishing

Director, MED, Editor, MEP President, AMD 1910 Pioneer Literature Evangelist 1959 VOP Worker, VOP Director, Bible Worker 1949 Licensed minister, North Lebanon 1957 Teacher, Dean of Men, MEC 1961 Farm Supervisor, MEC 1953 Teacher, AAS 1991 Teacher, MASS, BASS 1965 Publishing Director, EMF 1974 Pastor, Bish SAC 1947 Wife of Wayne Olson

90

Minas Megerditchian

Minerva Mousa Minerva Nassif Minerva Nowfel Mirna Karam Mona Kerbage Mona Najjar Mona Nowfel Mona Nowfel Melki Moses Elmadjian

Mousa Azar Mousa Ghazal Mousa Kerkenny Munir Deeb

1957 Teacher, Arm AS, Accountant, LS LS Sabbath School Director, LS Secretary-treasurer, Arm AS Principal, Lebanon Legal Association Committee member

1971 Office Secretary, LSS 1969 Teacher, MASS 1945 Credentialed teacher, MASS 1991 Teacher, BASS 1983 Teacher, BASS 1975 Credentialed teacher, Bish AS 1973 Teacher, MASS 1956 VOP Worker, Credentialed teacher, BASS 1972 Executive Committee member, EMF, Manager,

MEP 1961 Executive Committee member, EMF 1949 Licensed minister, El-Koura„ Marjouyoun 1949 Teacher and Principal, AAS 1959 VOP Worker

N. Hargreaves Nabil Mansour Nabil Razzouk Naheel Kerkanny Naila Touma Naim Awais Naim Jabriel Naim Mashni Najah Muallim Najeeb Azar Najeeb Ghazal Najib W. Nakhle Najla Aboujawda Najm Khoury

Najwa Nabti Najwa Obeid Nakhle Jammal Narguis Watson Nassim Khoury Nassima Berbawy Nathan Dawoud Nathan Hanna Nathan Malaka Nathan Ratib Nawal Akar Nawal Ashkar

1941 Licensed minister, Lebanon 1997 Visiting ordained minister, MEP Translator, Editor 1972 Teacher, MEC 1958 Teacher, AAS 1986 Teacher, BACS 1948 Credentialed Teacher, MASS, Editor, MEP 1945 Licensed minister, Lebanon 1963 Licensed minister, Lebanon principal, Bish AS 1969 Credentialed teacher, MASS 1947 Licensed minister, Lebanon 1944 Executive Committee member, SM 1974 Teacher, MEC 1959 Teacher, Dean of Women, MEC 1965 Teacher, AAS, Colporteur, Lebanon, Press

Worker 1957 Teacher, MEC 1981 Credentialed Teacher, BASS 1985 Teacher, MASS 1949 Director of Cafeteria, MEC 1967 Teacher, MASS, Arm AS 1968 Teacher, AAS, Arm AS, MASS 1969 Licensed minister, Zahle company 1973 Licensed minister, Lebanon 1992 Pastor (ordained), BSAC 1973 Credentialed Literature Evangelist, Lebanon 1955 Teacher, AAS, Bish AS, MASS 1968 Bible Worker, Lebanon

91

Nawal Estephan Nazely Yacoubian Nellie Nehme Nelson Tabingo Neshan Hovhannessian Nicola Esber Nils Zerne Nisreen Shahine Nona Obeid

Norma Laflouf

Noura Abdel-Karim Nourhan Ouzounian Nuha Abdel-Karim

1969 Teacher, MASS 1971 Teacher, Arm AS 1953 Teacher, MASS 1983 Teacher, MEC, Secretary-treasurer, MEU 1938 Licensed minister, Arm SAC 1958 Teacher, AAS 1923 Director, SM 1969 Credentialed teacher, MASS 1973 Teacher, Arm AS, Accountant and Cashier, EMF,

Cashier, BASS 1992 Teacher, MEC, Sabbath School Department

Director, EMF 1976 Teacher, AAS 1952 Teacher, commissary, MEC, Principal, Arm AS 1976 Teacher, AAS

Odette Johnson

1958 Teacher, MASS, AAS Oweda Wehbe

1993 Pastor(licensed), Bish SAC Ole C. Bjerkan

1971 President, MEC Ole C. Bjerkan (Mrs.)

1971 Wife of Ole C. Bjerkan

Pamela Manassian Patricia Beaman Paul Huston Pauline Koorenny Per Naesheim Percy Paul Philip Srour

1993 Teacher, MEC 1972 Teacher, MEC 1971 Teacher, MEC 1974 Teacher, MEC 1978 Teacher, MEC 1978 Teacher, MEC 1963 VOP Director, EMU, Lebanon Legal Association

Committee member, MEU cashier

R. A. Wilcox R. A. Wilcox (Mrs.) R. C. Darnell R. C. Darnell (Mrs.) R. C. Mills R. C. Thomas R. D. Pifer R. D. Pifer (Mrs.) R. Fenn

R. H. Hartwell R. H. Hartwell (Mrs.) R. H. Henning

1959 President, MED 1959 Wife of R. A. Wilcox 1970 President, MEU, Interim President, MEC 1970 Wife of R. C. Darnell 1967 Treasurer, MED 1975 Publishing Department Director, AMD 1971 President, EMF 1971 Wife of R. D. Pifer 1966 Teacher, MEC, Evangelist (ordained), Associate

Pastor, CPC 1952 President, LSS & EMU 1952 Music Teacher, MEC 1970 Publishing Department Director, AMD

92

Raimund Muller Raja Farah

Richard Muller Robert Blinci Robert Conway Robert Yousif Roland Fidelia

1952 Teacher, MEC 1952 Teacher, MEC 1967 Secretary, MED, AMD 1967 Wife of R. L. Jacobs, office secretary, MED,

AMD 1948 Pastor (ordained), Arm SAC, Treasurer, MEC 1958 Secretary Treasurer, MED 1933 Minister, SM 1991 Acting President, EMF 1967 Education Ministerial and Radio TV Secretary,

MED 1970 Ministerial Secretary, AMD 1962 Assistant Accountant, Cashier, MED 1962 Office Secretary, MED 1994 Accountant, MASS 1994 Pastor (licensed), Arm SAC 1987 Teacher, BASS, Principal, BACS,

Communication, Pathfinder, ADRA Lebanon Director, EMF

1996 Head Deacon, CPC, Carpenter, MEC 1983 Principal, BACS, Pastor (ordained), BSAC, &

CPC, Lebanon Legal Association Committee member, Education Director, EMF, Head of Religion Department, MEC

1974 President, MEC 1996 Head Deaconess, CPC, Librarian, MEC, Teacher,

MEC 1995 Teacher, MASS 1971 Teacher, MEC 1983 Pastor, CPC, Teacher, MEC 1984 Pastor (licensed), Arm SAC 1996 Teacher, MEC 1991 Elder, CPC, Teacher, Dean of Men, MEC 1996 Ministerial Association, Sabbath School &

Personal Ministry Director, MEU 1996 Wife of Rein Muhlberg 1953 Teacher, MASS, BASS 1982 Teacher, MASS 1976 Teacher, Bish AS, Accountant, EMF 1962 Press Worker, Lebanon Legal Association

Committee member, EMF, Teacher, Treasurer, Business Manager, Public Relations Director, MEC

1995 Head of Religion Department, MEC 1978 Teacher, MEC, Accountant, AMD 1973 Teacher, Cashier, MEC 1971 Teacher, MASS 1993 EMF President, MEU Communication,

Stewardship Director, Manager, MEP

R. K. Hasso R. K. Hasso (Mrs.) R. L. Jacobs R. L. Jacobs (Mrs.)

R. L. Mole R. 0. Osborn R. S. Greaves R. Thomson R. W. Coon

R. W. Taylor R. W. Willmot R. W. Willmot (Mrs) Raafat Kolta Raffic Keshihzadeh Raffy Manassain

Ralph L. Koorenny Randy Myklebust

Rania Tabanji Ray Doyle Ray Roth Raymond Khatchatourian Ragelio Taer Refaat Abdallah Rein Muhlberg

Rein Muhlberg (Mrs.) Rene Katrib Reymond Constantine Reymond Jeha Reymond Kiraz

93

Rose Katrib Rose Kharma Rose Moussally Ruby Williams

Ruth Ingram

1941 Credentialed Teacher, MASS 1966 Credentialed Teacher, BASS 1964 Teacher, Arm AS 1950 Credentialed Bible Worker, Lebanon, Dean of

Women, MEC 1974 Librarian, MEC

Saadiya Malaka Salam Aboujawda

Salim Farah

Salim Japas Salim Majeed Salim Noujaim Salim T. Hasbani Salwa Abdel-Karim Salwa Jbara Salwa Saad Sami Bishai Samir Berbawi Samir Shahine

Samira Shahine

Samaan Ghali Samuel C. Jackson Samuel Shehata Sam Issa Sara Ghazal Srour

Sara Zamer Sarkis Zurigian Seigfried Schwantes Sella Nazirian Serjie Ferrer Serpouhy Maksoudian Shahin Ouzounian Shamma Youssif Shehada Halabi

Shukry Nowfel

S. W. Johnson

1992 Teacher, MASS, BACS, BASS, Deaconess, CPC 1964 Pastor, ASAC, Bish SAC, MEU and EMF Youth

Director 1985 Teacher, BACS, Cashier, EMF, Treasurer,

CPC 1970 Pastor (ordained), BSAC, MEU Evangelist 1970 MEFTT member 1947 President, LS, VOP Director, Principal BASS 1959 Treasurer, LS 1976 Principal, AAS, Teacher, Bish AS, MASS, Arm AS 1981 Teacher, MASS 1984 Credentialed Teacher, BACS 1971 Evangelist, Bikfaya, Teacher, MASS 1979 Teacher, MEC 1961 President, EMF, Lebanon Legal Association

President, Teacher, MEC, Principal, MASS, Education Director, MEU

1957 Credentialed teacher, AAS, MASS, BACS, VOP Worker

1979 Treasurer, MEC, EMF, Church Elder, CPC 1978 Music Teacher, MEC 1996 Teacher, MASS 1968 Teacher, BASS, Teacher, Registrar MEC 1947 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS, BASS, VOP

Worker 1969 Teacher, Bish AS 1979 Pastor (licensed), Arm SAC 1966 Teacher, MEC 1942 Teacher, Principal, Arm AS 1991 Secretary-treasurer, MEU 1964 PC Worker 1947 Teacher Evangelist, Beirut, Registrar, MEC 1975 Stenographer, EMF 1960 Pastor (licensed), Bish SAC & BSAC,

Temperance Department Director, LS, Principal, Bish AS

1913 Committee Member, SM, Pioneer pastor (ordained), MSAC

1948 Vocational - Industrial Director, MEC

94

1963 Teacher, Arm AS 1976 Sabbath School Secretary, AMD 1994 Teacher, MASS 1971 Teacher, Arm As 1962 Office secretary, LS 1928 Committee Member, SM, Teacher, MEC 1997 Licensed minister, CPC 1972 Credentialed teacher, Arm AS, BASS 1996 Sabbath School Superintendent and Pianist,

BSAC, Cashier, MEC 1985 Secretary to President, MEC 1988 President, MEU 1988 Wife of Svein B. Johansen 1997 President, MEC, Executive Committee member,

EMF 1995 President, MEU 1995 Wife of Sven Jensen 1997 Credentialed Teacher, Arm AS, Teacher &

Secretary, MEC, BACS

Sirvart Murdesemjian Solomon Wolde-Endreas Sonia Sidawi Sossi Adjemian Souha Amin Khoury Stanley Bull Steve Manougian Suad Koko Suhad Kharma

Sossi Nazirian Kevorkian Svein B. Johansen Svein B. Johansen (Mrs.) Svein Myklebust

Sven Jensen Sven Jensen (Mrs.) Sylvia Kiraz

Towfic Issa (Mrs.) T. Zachary Taghrid T. Shartouni Tanios Issa Thomas S. Geraty Thomas S. Geraty (Mrs.) Thomas Staples Towfic Issa Towfic Madanat

Towfic Sayegh

1962 Wife of Towfic Issa 1910 Pioneer colporteur, Lebanon 1983 Secretary to the President, MEC 1973 Farmer, Gardener, BASS 1951 President, MEC 1951 Wife of Thomas S. Geraty 1976 Secretary-Treasurer, MEU 1962 Pastor (ordained), Bish SAC 1996 Sabbath School Department Director, EMF,

Principal, Amman School 1969 Teacher, BASS, MASS

Vartouhi Terzibashian Violet Wentland Verta Johnson V. A. Fenn Virginia Siemens Valerie Fidelia

Venice Khoury

Veronica Muller

1973 Teacher, MEC 1958 Teacher, MEC 1969 Teacher, MEC 1961 Treasurer, MED 1978 Teacher, MEC, Secretary to the President, MEC 1996 Health & Temperance & Women's Ministries

Director, MEU 1956 VOP Worker, Credentialed teacher, MASS,

Bible Worker, Women's Ministries and Children's Ministry Director, EMF

1995 Teacher, BASS, Pianist, CPC

95

W. A. Potter W. A. Potter (Mrs.) W. H. Wakeham W. Khoury W. R. Lesher W. Steffen Wadad Ayoub Wadad Issa Wadad Karam

Wadie Farag Wafa G. Raffoul Walter K. Ising Warde Kharma W. S. Edsell Wayne Olson

Widad Faimann Wilhelm Lesovski Wilhelmine Muller William Olson William Olson (Mrs.) William Wagner Wilma Hepker Wolfhard Touchard

1968 Pastor (ordained), MSAC 1968 Wife of W. A. Potter 1905 President, Egyptian Mission 1976 Accountant, MEC 1963 Secretary, Educational Secretary, MED 1926 SM, Missionary Licentiate 1973 Credentialed Literature Evangelist, Lebanon 1954 Bible Worker, North Lebanon 1969 Credentialed teacher, MASS, BASS, Principal,

BACS 1949 Teacher, MEC, Radio Dept. Secretary, MED 1983 Secretary to the Academic Dean, MEC 1908 First Director, SM 1966 Credentialed teacher, Bish AS, BASS 1976 Youth and Temperance Director, AMD 1947 Pastor (ordained), Bish SAC, Acting President,

LS, Pastor, CPC 1967 Teacher, MEC 1929 Missionary to Lebanon and Syria 1908 Missionary Licentiate, SM 1997 Secretary- Treasurer, MEU 1997 Wife of William Olson 1954 Medical Secretary, MED 1966 Teacher, MEC 1978 Teacher, Librarian, MEC

Yacoub Greige Yacoub Nashed Yepraxy Gomig Yohan Lusingu Yolla Abdelkarim Youssif Farag

Yung Sikkim

Zaky Narouz Zaher Berbawy

Zakariah Youssif Zeina Heleu Zevart Yerganian

1958 Credentialed Teacher, MASS, BASS, AAS 1961 Teacher, MEC 1938 Principal, Arm AS 1973 Stewardship and Development Secretary, AMD 1976 Teacher, AAS, BASS 1975 Publishing Director, EMF, MEU Publishing

Director 1997 Student Missionary, CPC

1961 Teacher, MEC 1973 Licensed Minister, Bikfaya, Bible Teacher,

Aramoun, MASS 1965 Teacher MASS, VOP worker 1984 Teacher, Bish AS 1968 Teacher, Arm AS

96

REFERENCES

1 Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, 1996 edition, p. 914.

2 Ibid., p. 614.

3 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main. Bern, 1981), p. 65.

4 Mildred Olson, Middle East Program, April 4-6, 1997, U. S. A., p. 9.

5 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main. Bern, 1981), pp. 67, 70.

6 Ibid., p. 70

7 Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, 1996 edition, p. 915.

8 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main. Bern, 1981), p. 68.

9 Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, ? edition, p. 695.

10 Mildred Olson, Middle East Program, April 4-6, 1997, U. S. A., p. 9.

11 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main. Bern, 1981), pp. 68, 69.

12 Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, 1996 edition, p. 915.

13 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main. Bern, 1981), p. 70.

14 Ibid., p. 71.

15 Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, 1996 edition, p. 915.

16 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939, (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main. Bern, 1981), p. 72.

17 Ibid., p. 76.

18 Ibid., p. 79

19 Ibid., p. 79

20 Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, 1996 edition, p. 915. 21 Ibid., p. 695.

22 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer's, letter, May 13, 1198.

23 Baldur Ed. Pfeiffer, The European Seventh-day Adventist Mission in the Middle East 1879-1939 (Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main, Bazn, 1981). p. 11.

24 Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook - 1939

25 Impact (official organ of the Afro-MidEast Division), Vol. VI, November - December 1945, p. 30.

26 The Middle East Messenger (official organ of the Middle East Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventists), Vol. I, No 5, December 1945, p. 7.

27 Mildred Olson, Middle East Program, April 4-6, 1997, U. S. A, p. 6.

28 Daniel Obeid, Hamad Elias Obeid's Biography, 1998.

29 Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks, 1909-1971.

30 Middle East College Pine Echoes, 1964.

31 The Middle East Messenger (official organ of the Middle East Division), January, February 1970, P. 3.

32 Seventh-day Adventist Yearbooks, 1909-1997.